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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 · bay · ground · sharp · ruler · rock · hide · dip

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. sharp — with an edge
  2. rock — music
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pit — a hole
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ground — a position
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. ground — crushed
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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