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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. firm — a company
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. bear — the animal
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. object — an aim
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. object — to protest
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. object — a thing
  17. firm — steady
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. firm — decided
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bear — the animal
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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