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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: stick · dip · mark · date · sharp · kick

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mark — a trace
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mark — a grade
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. dip — a sauce

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