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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 would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bear — the animal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bear — the animal
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. roll — a cake
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. roll — a list
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bass — the fish
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. file — a document
  21. bass — low music
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. file — a tool
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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