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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: squash · content · temple · pit · dip · present · sharp · kick

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. present — the time now
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. sharp — clever
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. squash — the sport
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. content — the amount
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. kick — in football
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pit — a hole
  18. squash — to crush
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pit — in a race
  22. content — happy
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. sharp — with an edge

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