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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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. race — humankind
  4. pit — a hole
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. net — in sport
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. track — to keep track
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pit — in a race
  11. track — a path
  12. row — to paddle
  13. net — for catching
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. race — a contest
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. row — a line
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. net — after costs

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