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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mate — a partner
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — to eat
  6. suit — to fit
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. season — of the year
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. suit — in cards
  15. prune — to trim
  16. suit — clothes
  17. scale — size or range
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. season — in sport
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. scale — in music
  24. coach — a trainer

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