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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. race — a contest
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. race — humankind
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. race — the arms race
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. branch — a division
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. temple — a place of worship

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