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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. race — humankind
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — a tool
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fall — to drop
  9. can — to be able to
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stock — shares
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fall — the season
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fall — to drop
  18. can — a tin
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. stock — goods
  22. date — the fruit
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. race — a contest

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