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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 120 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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. firm — decided
  5. suit — to fit
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — clever
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. firm — a company
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. firm — steady
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. dip — to dunk

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