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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: pop · dip · content · sharp · fine · object · mark · kick

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. content — the amount
  3. mark — a grade
  4. object — an aim
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pop — music
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. kick — in football
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. object — to protest
  13. mark — a trace
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — to visit
  17. object — a thing
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. 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