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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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 sink
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. last — finally
  4. present — there
  5. fine — all right
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. last — to go on
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. last — final
  14. ball — a dance
  15. sharp — clever
  16. present — a gift
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fine — high quality
  19. present — the time now
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. sharp — exactly
  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