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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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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. face — to point toward
  3. race — the arms race
  4. cue — a signal
  5. face — to confront
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. season — in sport
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cue — a hint
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. race — humankind
  13. face — part of the head
  14. cue — for pool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. race — a contest
  18. season — of the year

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