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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. rest — a break
  9. pop — music
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rest — what's left
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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