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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stand — to bear
  5. present — a gift
  6. season — in sport
  7. present — the time now
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. present — there
  21. season — of the year
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ball — a dance

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