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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. dip — to sink
  12. scale — size or range
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. saw — 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