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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 120 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. shower — to wash
  7. dip — to sink
  8. fine — all right
  9. stock — shares
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. shower — rain
  18. sharp — clever
  19. fine — high quality
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. stock — goods
  24. foot — part of the body

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