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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. present — the time now
  3. mate — to breed
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. content — happy
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. content — the amount
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. leaves — of a tree

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