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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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. arm — part of the body
  4. shower — rain
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stock — goods
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stand — to bear
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. face — to point toward
  18. stock — shares
  19. sharp — clever
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. shower — to wash
  22. face — to confront
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. arm — part of the body

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