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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.

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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: sharp · fine · drill · dip · present · mate · hide · ground

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. fine — all right
  3. mate — a partner
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mate — to breed
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — the earth
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. drill — army training
  12. ground — crushed
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mate — a friend
  16. drill — the tool
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. present — a gift
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. sharp — clever
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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