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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. lie — to recline
  8. race — a contest
  9. snap — to click
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. object — to protest
  14. foot — a measure
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. object — an aim
  19. cell — in biology
  20. race — humankind
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cell — a phone
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. object — a thing

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