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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. firm — a company
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pop — music
  10. dip — to sink
  11. race — a contest
  12. firm — steady
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — the arms race
  16. lean — to bend
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. firm — decided
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bear — to put up with

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