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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. rush — to hurry
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wound — an injury
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. season — of the year
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wake — a trail
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. season — in sport
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rush — hurry
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. temple — side of the head
  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