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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 116 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stand — to bear
  3. present — there
  4. bass — low music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. key — the most important part
  9. last — finally
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bass — the fish
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. last — final
  20. key — in music
  21. dip — to sink
  22. last — to go on
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. key — for a lock

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