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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 124 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. present — there
  3. swing — in golf
  4. sharp — clever
  5. dip — to sink
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. swing — music
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lean — to bend
  11. deal — to handle
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lean — thin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. swing — to play on
  24. deal — a big deal

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