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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bat — the animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — employees
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. craft — boats
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. staff — a stick
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. can — a tin
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. staff — employees
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. leaves — of a tree

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