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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. race — a contest
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pound — a weight
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. tube — a container
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. race — humankind
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. bulb — for light
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bank — for money
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fork — in a road
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bank — for money

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