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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mine — for digging
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rash — hasty
  20. sharp — clever
  21. rash — a series
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. safe — out of danger

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