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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mine — for digging
  4. field — a subject
  5. club — for dancing
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mug — to rob
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. club — a group
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. club — for golf
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — farmland

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