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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bear — the animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. root — the cause
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — final
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. last — finally
  15. pound — a weight
  16. root — of a word
  17. field — for sport
  18. field — farmland
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. field — a subject
  24. bear — the animal

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