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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. race — a contest
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. tear — to rip
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. plane — a tool
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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