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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. kid — child
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. rash — hasty
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. club — for golf
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rash — a series
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bulb — for light
  19. club — a group
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fine — all right
  24. dip — to sink

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