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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. clip — to cut
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. rock — a stone
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. clip — a video
  15. lean — to bend
  16. club — a group
  17. lean — thin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rock — music
  21. clip — for paper
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. club — for golf
  24. coach — a trainer

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