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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: race · sharp · bound · shower · toast · face · dip · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bound — tied together
  3. object — an aim
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. face — part of the head
  6. race — the arms race
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. race — humankind
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. shower — rain
  11. face — to point toward
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. shower — to wash
  15. object — to protest
  16. bound — certain
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bound — obliged
  21. toast — bread
  22. race — a contest
  23. face — to confront
  24. sharp — clever

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