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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: date · dip · perch · lean · firm · sharp · deal · hide

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. perch — the fish
  4. firm — a company
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. sharp — clever
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. dip — to sink
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. deal — to handle
  13. firm — decided
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. firm — steady
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. date — the fruit
  21. lean — to bend
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. perch — for a bird

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