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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. race — a contest
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pit — in a race
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. stock — shares
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. swing — music
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stock — goods
  21. swing — to play on
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. swing — in golf
  24. leaves — lets stay

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