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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stock — goods
  4. kick — in football
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stock — shares
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pass — a permit
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rock — a stone
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. sharp — exactly

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