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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.

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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mate — a partner
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mate — to breed
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. can — a tin
  13. drill — the tool
  14. capital — a city
  15. drill — army training
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. capital — money
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — a friend

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