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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 116 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. game — a match
  3. race — humankind
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. craft — boats
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. kid — to tease
  14. charge — a price
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. charge — in control
  19. game — wild animals
  20. race — the arms race
  21. charge — electricity
  22. kid — child
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rock — music

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