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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rash — hasty
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rash — a series
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. race — a contest
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. net — in sport
  16. race — the arms race
  17. net — for catching
  18. race — humankind
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a grade
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. net — after costs

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