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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. dip — to sink
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rash — a series
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mate — to breed
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. face — to point toward
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mate — a friend
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. face — to confront
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rash — hasty
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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