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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. race — a contest
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. race — the arms race
  6. object — a thing
  7. race — humankind
  8. bore — to tire
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. club — for dancing
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bat — the animal
  16. club — a group
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. foot — a measure
  19. club — for golf
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bat — in an idiom

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