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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. race — humankind
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. race — a contest
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ball — a dance
  8. roll — a list
  9. tube — a container
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — a stone
  12. club — for golf
  13. ball — a great time
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. club — for dancing
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — music
  22. club — a group
  23. race — the arms race
  24. object — to protest

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