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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. key — in music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. race — humankind
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. current — of water
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rush — hurry
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. race — a contest
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mine — for digging

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