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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. race — humankind
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bound — tied together
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. fine — high quality
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — a contest
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. dip — to sink
  24. fine — all right

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