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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pop — soda
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pop — music
  8. race — a contest
  9. press — to push
  10. pop — to visit
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bear — the animal
  16. race — the arms race
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bear — the animal
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bear — to put up with

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