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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stand — to bear
  9. face — to point toward
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bear — the animal
  14. face — to confront
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. prune — to trim
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. prune — to trim
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bear — the animal

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