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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. swing — music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. pound — a weight
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. race — a contest
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. object — to protest
  18. pass — a permit
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. race — humankind

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