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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mine — for digging
  17. drill — army training
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. drill — a practice
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. sharp — with an edge

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