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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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Word bank
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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. race — humankind
  7. present — a gift
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. present — there
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cap — of ice
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — a coil
  16. toast — bread
  17. cap — a hat
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. race — the arms race
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. spring — the season
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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