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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. rest — a break
  5. face — to confront
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fine — high quality
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. race — a contest
  14. race — the arms race
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. face — to point toward
  19. fine — all right
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. current — electric
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pitch — completely

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