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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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. kid — to tease
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. prune — to trim
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. dip — to sink
  13. prune — to trim
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mark — a trace
  18. current — electric
  19. craft — a skill
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. sharp — clever
  22. kid — child
  23. craft — boats
  24. mark — a grade

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