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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 116 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: can · lie · pit · hand · race · pass · staff · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pit — a hole
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. staff — employees
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pit — in a race
  10. race — humankind
  11. can — a tin
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. hand — help
  19. race — a contest
  20. hand — in cards
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. staff — employees
  24. race — the arms race

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