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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mate — a partner
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. present — a gift
  7. land — a country
  8. craft — a skill
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. present — there
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mate — a friend
  13. present — the time now
  14. mate — to breed
  15. land — ground
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. land — to come down
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. dip — to sink

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