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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. spring — of water
  4. pop — to visit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — a series
  9. pop — music
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — in cards
  13. season — in sport
  14. net — in sport
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pop — soda
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. net — after costs
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. spring — a coil
  21. suit — clothes
  22. season — of the year
  23. net — for catching
  24. spring — the season

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