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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mug — a face
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. root — the cause
  6. mug — a cup
  7. court — for sport
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fall — the season
  12. swing — to play on
  13. root — of a word
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. sharp — clever
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. swing — music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. court — of law
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fall — to drop
  22. court — of a king
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mug — to rob

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