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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. kid — child
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mate — a partner
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. mate — to breed
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rest — a break
  19. mate — a friend
  20. rash — a series
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rash — hasty

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