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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · leaves · dip · kid · mug · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. kid — child
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mug — a face
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. kid — to tease
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. dip — to sink
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. snap — to click
  18. leaves — to go away

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