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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · deal · sharp · foot · dip · mate · hide · pitcher

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. 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. hide — animal skin
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. deal — to handle
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mate — to breed
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. 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