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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. spell — letters
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fork — in a road
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. spell — a short time
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. can — a tin
  16. scale — in music
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. spell — magic
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fork — to eat with

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