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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 120 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: perch · bat · dip · sharp · craft · bay · mark · mug

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. craft — boats
  7. mug — a cup
  8. craft — a skill
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mug — a face
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mug — to rob
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bat — the animal
  20. perch — the fish
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. sharp — exactly
  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