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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. object — a thing
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rock — music
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. press — a publisher
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. race — the arms race
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. press — to push
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. press — newspapers
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. race — humankind
  18. present — a gift
  19. chair — a leader
  20. present — the time now
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. present — there
  23. race — a contest
  24. chair — to sit on

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