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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. row — to paddle
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bank — for money
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bank — for money
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bank — of a river
  18. perch — the fish
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. row — a line
  24. sharp — clever

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