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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mug — a face
  3. perch — the fish
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mug — to rob
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. court — of a king
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wound — an injury
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wound — an injury
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. court — of law
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mug — a cup
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. court — for sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com