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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. scale — in music
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rush — hurry
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cold — not warm
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — bread
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cold — an illness
  24. scale — for weighing

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