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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wound — an injury
  5. race — humankind
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. race — a contest
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. race — the arms race
  13. pitch — completely
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wound — an injury
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pitch — a sports field

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