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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cold · leaves · dip · tube · ball · mouse · hide · fork

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ball — a great time
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. tube — a container
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cold — an illness
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mouse — the animal

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