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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. face — part of the head
  3. suit — clothes
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bank — of a river
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — thin
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cold — not warm
  13. key — in music
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cold — an illness
  16. bank — for money
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. face — to confront
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. key — for a lock
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. dip — to sink

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