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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 116 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stock — goods
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ball — a great time
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. board — to get on
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stock — shares
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. board — a committee
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. board — a flat piece

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