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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. roll — a list
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. foot — a measure
  9. cap — a lid
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cap — of ice
  13. net — after costs
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. roll — a cake
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. cap — a hat
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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