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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cue — for pool
  3. race — a contest
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mug — to rob
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cue — a hint
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cue — a signal
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. net — for catching
  15. mug — a cup
  16. race — the arms race
  17. net — in sport
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. race — humankind
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mug — a face
  23. deal — to handle
  24. net — after costs

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