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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rest — what's left
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — a grade
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. last — final
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mark — a trace
  15. date — the fruit
  16. fork — in a road
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. last — to go on
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. last — finally
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. hide — to keep secret

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