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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: bay · spring · suit · sharp · dip · pound · lean · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pound — a weight
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. spring — of water
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lean — to bend
  9. sharp — clever
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lean — thin
  13. spring — the season
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. race — the arms race
  17. spring — a coil
  18. suit — in cards
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. race — humankind
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pound — to hit hard

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