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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. pop — soda
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. sharp — clever
  9. board — to get on
  10. object — a thing
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. date — the fruit
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. perch — the fish
  16. board — a committee
  17. pop — to visit
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. object — to protest
  20. pop — music
  21. dip — to sink
  22. object — an aim
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. trunk — of a tree

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