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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: lie · cap · jam · race · dip · saw · stand · object

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. race — humankind
  3. object — to protest
  4. race — a contest
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. race — the arms race
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. lie — to recline
  13. saw — the tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. cap — a lid
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. object — an aim
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. cap — of ice
  21. dip — to sink
  22. saw — the tool
  23. object — a thing
  24. cap — a hat

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