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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fall — the season
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. fall — to drop
  7. suit — to fit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. hand — help
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a ring
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. band — a music group
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. suit — clothes
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hide — animal skin

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