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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. march — the month
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. present — the time now
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. row — to paddle
  8. dip — to sink
  9. fine — all right
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. row — a line
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. sharp — clever
  15. present — there
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fine — high quality
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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