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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.

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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. swing — in golf
  3. can — a tin
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. land — ground
  7. saw — the tool
  8. swing — to play on
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. land — to come down
  11. can — a tin
  12. dip — to sink
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. season — of the year
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. swing — music
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. can — to be able to
  22. season — in sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. land — a country

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