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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 124 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bound — obliged
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rule — government
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. race — the arms race
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. race — humankind
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rule — a law
  16. scale — in music
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. race — a contest
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — certain
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. dip — a sauce

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