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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.

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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — humankind
  7. mate — a partner
  8. ball — a dance
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. ball — a great time
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mate — a friend
  22. swing — music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. swing — to play on

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