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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — a contest
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mug — to rob
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. firm — steady
  15. race — the arms race
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. mug — a face
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fan — to cool the air

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