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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rash — a series
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. kid — child
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. fine — all right
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — hasty
  13. toast — bread
  14. bulb — for light
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. kid — to tease
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fine — high quality
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bulb — for light

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