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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. net — in sport
  4. pound — a weight
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. net — for catching
  8. dip — to sink
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bulb — for light
  18. net — after costs
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mouse — 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