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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. can — a tin
  3. fine — high quality
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. race — the arms race
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mug — to rob
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. race — humankind
  10. pop — to visit
  11. mug — a face
  12. pop — soda
  13. mug — a cup
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. pop — music
  17. dip — to sink
  18. can — a tin
  19. row — a line
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. can — to be able to

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