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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. race — humankind
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. race — the arms race
  11. board — to get on
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pass — a permit
  15. race — a contest
  16. fall — the season
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. board — a committee
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cabinet — ministers

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