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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 116 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: dip · rest · stick · craft · rock · sharp

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rock — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rock — a stone
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever

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