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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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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: mug · can · file · bear · kid · race · dip · staff

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. can — to be able to
  4. staff — employees
  5. bear — the animal
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kid — child
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. dip — to sink
  12. staff — employees
  13. mug — a face
  14. race — a contest
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. file — a tool
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. race — humankind
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. file — a document
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. kid — to tease

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