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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 116 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. season — of the year
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. plane — a tool
  7. tube — a container
  8. season — in sport
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rush — hurry
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lean — thin
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. tube — the underground

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