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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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. race — a contest
  5. march — the month
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. object — to protest
  8. race — humankind
  9. spell — a short time
  10. race — the arms race
  11. capital — money
  12. march — the month
  13. object — a thing
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. spell — magic
  17. pit — a hole
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mark — a trace
  21. march — music
  22. spell — letters
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. capital — a city

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