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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pop — to visit
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pop — music
  6. race — the arms race
  7. root — of a word
  8. spell — letters
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chip — for betting
  11. race — a contest
  12. root — the cause
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pop — soda
  15. spell — a short time
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mate — to breed
  18. spell — magic
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. root — of a plant
  21. saw — the tool
  22. race — humankind
  23. mate — a partner
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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