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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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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: dip · ball · mouse · object · fall · pit · race · pound

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fall — the season
  4. ball — a great time
  5. race — a contest
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pound — a weight
  9. race — the arms race
  10. object — an aim
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ball — a dance
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. object — to protest
  15. fall — to drop
  16. object — a thing
  17. pit — a hole
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — to dunk

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