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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. suit — to fit
  3. dip — to sink
  4. squash — the sport
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. squash — to crush
  8. scale — in music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. scale — size or range
  12. suit — in cards
  13. spell — letters
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. suit — clothes
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. spell — magic
  24. leaves — lets stay

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