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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — humankind
  3. current — electric
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. drill — army training
  10. current — happening now
  11. drill — a practice
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. current — of water
  15. bear — the animal
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fan — a supporter

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