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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cap — of ice
  3. kick — in football
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. cap — a lid
  6. key — the most important part
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bound — tied together
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mug — a face
  12. pop — music
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mug — to rob
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. race — humankind
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. race — a contest
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. key — in music

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