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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 116 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stock — goods
  4. wound — an injury
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — boats
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. pit — a hole
  11. stock — shares
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. race — humankind
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. firm — decided
  24. dip — to sink

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