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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bore — to tire
  4. pit — a hole
  5. race — humankind
  6. press — a publisher
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. press — to push
  10. race — a contest
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bore — to drill
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bear — the animal
  15. court — of a king
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the instrument

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