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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: lie · pop · pit · dip · race · mug · bay · rush

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. race — humankind
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lie — to recline
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mug — to rob
  19. race — a contest
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mug — a face
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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