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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. race — a contest
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. dip — to sink
  7. race — humankind
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. object — a thing
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. race — the arms race

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