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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. club — a group
  4. ground — a position
  5. can — a tin
  6. fine — high quality
  7. season — in sport
  8. ground — crushed
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. club — for dancing
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. suit — clothes
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ground — the earth
  18. suit — to fit
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. can — a tin
  21. club — for golf
  22. fine — all right
  23. suit — in cards
  24. season — of the year

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