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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. track — a song
  3. drill — the tool
  4. race — the arms race
  5. charge — a price
  6. track — to keep track
  7. charge — electricity
  8. face — to confront
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tube — a container
  11. charge — in control
  12. drill — army training
  13. tube — the underground
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. race — humankind
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to point toward
  18. track — a path
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. drill — a practice
  22. race — a contest
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mouse — the animal

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