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

Word bank: fall · mark · plane · bay · race · dip · tube · bowl

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. race — humankind
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. race — a contest
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. tube — a container
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fall — the season
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mark — a trace
  24. plane — a tool

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