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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. lie — to recline
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rush — hurry
  5. sharp — clever
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. key — for a lock
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. date — the fruit
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. foot — a measure
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. key — in music
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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