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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. kid — to tease
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. spring — a coil
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spring — of water
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. lie — to recline
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. spring — the season
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — to push
  20. kid — child
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. dip — a sauce

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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