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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. kick — in football
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. key — for a lock
  9. board — a committee
  10. key — in music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. object — to protest
  13. spring — a coil
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. spring — the season
  19. object — a thing
  20. board — to get on
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. key — the most important part
  23. object — an aim
  24. spring — of water

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