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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rest — what's left
  6. race — humankind
  7. rock — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fork — in a road
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. dip — to sink
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. suit — to fit
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rock — a stone

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