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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. current — happening now
  4. race — a contest
  5. race — humankind
  6. suit — clothes
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — a position
  11. bat — the animal
  12. suit — to fit
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. current — of water
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. race — the arms race
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ball — a dance
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. suit — in cards
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ball — a great time
  24. current — electric

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