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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spell — letters
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. can — to be able to
  6. suit — clothes
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. suit — to fit
  9. hand — in cards
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. dip — to sink
  13. can — a tin
  14. spell — a short time
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. spell — magic
  18. chip — for betting
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. wake — a trail
  22. can — a tin
  23. hand — help
  24. wake — before a funeral

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