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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. press — to push
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. net — after costs
  12. press — newspapers
  13. net — in sport
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. net — for catching
  24. mouse — the animal

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