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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. dip — to sink
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — in music
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. scale — size or range
  10. tube — the underground
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pound — a weight
  18. tube — a container
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bat — the animal
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. sharp — clever

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