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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pit — a hole
  4. shower — rain
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. board — a committee
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mate — to breed
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mate — a friend
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mate — a partner
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. shower — to wash
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. dip — to sink
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. toast — bread
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mug — to rob
  23. board — to get on
  24. pit — in a race

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