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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  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 sink
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spell — letters
  6. rock — music
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. spell — magic
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. snap — to click
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rock — a stone
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. dip — to dunk
  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