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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. staff — a stick
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. foot — a measure
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. staff — employees
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mine — for digging
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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