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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. bass — low music
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mark — a trace
  10. track — a song
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mark — a grade
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. band — a ring
  17. bass — the fish
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. race — the arms race
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. race — a contest
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wave — of the sea

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