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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. scale — size or range
  7. race — humankind
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mark — a grade
  10. scale — in music
  11. tube — a container
  12. race — a contest
  13. tube — the underground
  14. cap — of ice
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. cap — a lid
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. race — the arms race

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