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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. race — a contest
  3. dip — to sink
  4. race — humankind
  5. mark — a grade
  6. spell — letters
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. press — to push
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mark — a trace
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. foot — a measure
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — a publisher
  21. sharp — clever
  22. lie — to recline
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. spell — a short time

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