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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. mark — a grade
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. toast — bread
  7. roll — a list
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. sharp — clever
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pitch — completely
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. roll — a cake
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. mark — a trace
  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