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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 120 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fine — all right
  3. file — a line of people
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fine — high quality
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. race — a contest
  13. file — a document
  14. race — humankind
  15. file — a tool
  16. craft — boats
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. craft — a skill
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. coach — a trainer

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