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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. row — to paddle
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stock — shares
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. sharp — clever
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — goods
  24. deal — an agreement

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