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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. mug — a cup
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. face — to confront
  8. mug — to rob
  9. face — part of the head
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. file — a document
  14. firm — decided
  15. file — a line of people
  16. firm — a company
  17. file — a tool
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mug — a face
  23. firm — steady
  24. sharp — with an edge

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