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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: spell · stick · mine · can · row · race · deal · dip

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. mine — for digging
  3. can — a tin
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. can — to be able to
  10. spell — magic
  11. race — a contest
  12. dip — to sink
  13. spell — a short time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. can — a tin
  17. race — the arms race
  18. row — a line
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. spell — letters
  23. race — humankind
  24. mine — an explosive

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