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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: pitcher · race · coach · stick · cap · bay · temple · dip

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — humankind
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cap — of ice
  8. dip — to sink
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pitcher — a jug

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