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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. vault — a safe
  18. dip — to sink
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. sharp — clever
  24. temple — a place of worship

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