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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: perch · race · rest · dip · suit · tear · bound · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. race — a contest
  3. suit — to fit
  4. tear — from crying
  5. race — humankind
  6. tear — to rip
  7. rest — a break
  8. bound — tied together
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rest — what's left
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mug — a cup
  13. suit — clothes
  14. race — the arms race
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rest — what's left
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. tear — from crying
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bound — obliged
  22. mug — to rob
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bound — certain

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