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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. ball — a great time
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cap — a hat
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. drill — army training
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. race — a contest
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. race — humankind
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bat — the animal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bear — the animal

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