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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 124 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.

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

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: rush · bear · bay · dip · lean · arm · spring · pit

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rush — hurry
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. spring — of water
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bear — the animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

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

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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