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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lean — thin
  3. race — the arms race
  4. march — the month
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bark — to shout
  12. race — humankind
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. march — the month
  15. dip — to sink
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. race — a contest
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lean — to bend
  20. march — music
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stock — a soup base

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