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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · dip · sharp · date · wave · root

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pit — a hole
  4. dip — to sink
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. root — of a plant
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. root — the cause
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. sharp — clever
  15. root — of a word
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pit — in a race

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