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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. present — there
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. dip — to sink
  7. face — part of the head
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rush — hurry
  10. perch — the fish
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. shower — to wash
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. face — to confront
  17. key — for a lock
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. face — to point toward
  20. key — in music
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. key — the most important part
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. shower — rain

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