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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rock — music
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. sharp — clever
  14. club — for golf
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rock — a stone
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. face — to confront
  22. mark — a grade
  23. face — part of the head
  24. stock — goods

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