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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. sharp — clever
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. dip — to sink
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pound — a weight
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lean — to rest against

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