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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. pop — music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. race — humankind
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. dip — to sink
  18. race — the arms race
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pop — soda
  21. race — a contest
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pop — to visit
  24. jam — a tight spot

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