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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. ground — crushed
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. race — a contest
  8. ground — a position
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. race — humankind
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ground — the earth
  13. squash — the sport
  14. dip — to sink
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mug — to rob
  23. club — for dancing
  24. lash — an eyelash

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