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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bass — the fish
  3. chest — a box
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. season — in sport
  7. race — a contest
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. root — of a word
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bass — low music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. race — the arms race
  15. season — of the year
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. suit — in cards
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. chest — of your body
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chest — of your body

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