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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. craft — boats
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. craft — a skill
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. cold — not warm
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cold — an illness
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ball — a great time

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