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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.

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: mouse · can · toast · snap · dip · deal · leaves · hand

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. hand — in cards
  5. can — a tin
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. snap — to click
  8. can — a tin
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. can — to be able to
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. deal — to handle
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — to sink

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