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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. scale — size or range
  4. root — the cause
  5. board — a committee
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. branch — a division
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. race — the arms race
  12. scale — in music
  13. race — a contest
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a hole
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. root — of a word
  18. dip — to sink
  19. root — of a plant
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. race — humankind

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