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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: race · mug · toast · bass · cabinet · fan · wind · dip

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bass — the fish
  5. race — a contest
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. race — humankind
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mug — a face
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bass — low music
  17. wind — moving air
  18. race — the arms race
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fan — to cool the air

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