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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 124 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. race — the arms race
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. race — humankind
  7. stand — to bear
  8. capital — money
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mine — for digging
  13. saw — the tool
  14. club — for golf
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. club — for dancing
  17. capital — a city
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. club — a group
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. race — a contest
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stand — on your feet

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