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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stock — goods
  3. firm — decided
  4. can — to be able to
  5. race — humankind
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. can — a tin
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. firm — steady
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. race — a contest
  14. lean — to bend
  15. stock — shares
  16. race — the arms race
  17. lean — thin
  18. clip — for paper
  19. can — a tin
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. clip — to cut
  22. firm — a company
  23. clip — a video
  24. lean — to rest against

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