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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. land — a country
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. land — ground
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. land — to come down
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — humankind
  15. prune — to trim
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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