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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. club — for dancing
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ball — a great time
  9. race — a contest
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. race — humankind
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. face — part of the head
  14. club — a group
  15. kick — in football
  16. club — for golf
  17. face — to confront
  18. kick — a thrill

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