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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. race — a contest
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. dip — to sink
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mug — a cup
  17. row — a line
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. saw — the tool
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. race — the arms race

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