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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: suit · deal · dip · toast · cap · plane · straw · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. plane — a tool
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cap — a hat
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. suit — in cards
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. toast — bread
  13. mug — a face
  14. suit — to fit
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a lid
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. dip — to sink
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mug — a cup

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