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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. race — a contest
  3. lie — to recline
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. object — to protest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. season — of the year
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. season — in sport
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. race — humankind
  14. current — of water
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. rush — hurry

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