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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cap — a hat
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. cap — of ice
  15. root — the cause
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bank — of a river
  18. root — of a word
  19. dip — to sink
  20. race — the arms race
  21. root — of a plant
  22. race — a contest
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bat — the animal

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