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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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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: can · nail · suit · dip · pop · toast · fan · hide

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pop — soda
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. suit — to fit
  24. toast — bread

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