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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. race — the arms race
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. race — humankind
  14. bound — certain
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wake — a trail
  17. press — to push
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. race — a contest
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. press — newspapers

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