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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: row · temple · dip · tube · firm · straw · mouse · sharp

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. row — a line
  6. firm — a company
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. firm — decided
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. tube — a container
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. tube — the underground
  22. row — to paddle
  23. firm — steady
  24. dip — to sink

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