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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lean — thin
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — clothes
  7. key — the most important part
  8. lean — to bend
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. current — of water
  13. fine — high quality
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. fine — all right
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. current — happening now
  20. suit — in cards
  21. current — electric
  22. dip — to sink
  23. sharp — clever
  24. suit — to fit

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