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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: lean · pound · dip · bore · pop · race · stick · fan

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pop — to visit
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. bore — to tire
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. race — a contest
  24. dip — to dunk

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