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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. present — a gift
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — a contest
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ball — a dance
  11. face — part of the head
  12. swing — in golf
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. swing — music
  15. present — there
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. race — humankind
  20. present — the time now
  21. swing — to play on
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. face — to confront
  24. wave — with your hand

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