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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mate · dip · press · row · bear · race

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. race — the arms race
  3. press — newspapers
  4. race — a contest
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. race — humankind
  9. row — to paddle
  10. press — to push
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mate — to breed
  14. press — a publisher
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel

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