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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cap — a hat
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. key — in music
  11. hand — help
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bulb — for light
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lean — thin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lean — to bend
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. suit — clothes
  23. key — for a lock
  24. dip — to sink

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