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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. object — to protest
  8. lie — to recline
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. current — happening now
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. object — a thing
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. current — of water
  17. date — the fruit
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rock — a stone
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. current — electric
  23. object — an aim
  24. rock — music

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