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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bear — the animal
  5. race — a contest
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. shower — rain
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pass — a permit
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — to wash
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bear — the animal
  20. race — humankind
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rash — a series
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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