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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. race — humankind
  7. capital — money
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rule — government
  10. vault — a safe
  11. race — a contest
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fine — high quality
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. race — the arms race
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. capital — a city
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. fine — all right
  23. rule — a law
  24. stand — on your feet

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