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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. race — humankind
  3. kick — in football
  4. present — the time now
  5. sharp — clever
  6. present — there
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pop — music
  9. present — a gift
  10. race — the arms race
  11. pop — to visit
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. race — a contest
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. dip — to dunk

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