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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. deal — to handle
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. club — a group
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. season — in sport
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bark — to shout
  10. season — of the year
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. club — for golf
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. toast — bread
  15. spring — the season
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. mate — to breed
  20. spring — of water
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. club — for dancing
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mate — a friend

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