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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: rock · rush · season · dip · lie · tear · staff · sharp

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. dip — to sink
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rock — music
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. staff — employees
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. tear — from crying
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. staff — employees
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — of the year
  20. tear — to rip
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. season — in sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. staff — a stick

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