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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.

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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bank — for money
  3. dip — to sink
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. race — humankind
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bank — for money
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bank — of a river
  13. race — the arms race
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bound — obliged
  16. race — a contest
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. lie — an untruth

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