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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pop — soda
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. race — a contest
  16. fine — high quality
  17. branch — a division
  18. fine — all right
  19. race — the arms race
  20. pop — to visit
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. race — humankind
  24. pop — music

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