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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. ground — a position
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ground — crushed
  6. file — a document
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ground — the earth
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. perch — the fish
  16. chip — to eat
  17. sharp — clever
  18. file — a line of people
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. file — a tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. chip — for betting

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