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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. season — of the year
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. drill — a practice
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. can — to be able to
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. dip — to sink
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. drill — army training
  16. season — in sport
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. can — a tin
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — the tool

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