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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. last — finally
  3. toast — bread
  4. last — to go on
  5. net — after costs
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. net — in sport
  8. bass — low music
  9. race — a contest
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. last — final
  12. race — humankind
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. net — for catching
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. saw — the tool
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bass — the fish
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. race — the arms race
  24. dip — to dunk

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