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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wake — a trail
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mug — a face
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. root — of a word
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mug — a cup
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. root — of a plant
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. root — the cause

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