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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: bore · toast · fine · band · race · dip · lash · season

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. dip — to sink
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. race — humankind
  10. season — in sport
  11. band — a ring
  12. race — the arms race
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. band — a music group
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. race — a contest
  21. season — of the year
  22. toast — bread
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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