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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. dip — to sink
  6. race — a contest
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. bass — low music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fine — all right
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bass — the fish
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lean — thin
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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