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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 120 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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. capital — money
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. staff — a stick
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. capital — a city
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. can — to be able to
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. dip — to sink
  18. can — a tin
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. mouse — for a computer

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