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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. dip — a sauce
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mark — a trace
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. firm — decided
  10. snap — to click
  11. present — a gift
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. firm — steady
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mark — a grade
  19. firm — a company
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. sharp — clever
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  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