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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cold — an illness
  6. season — in sport
  7. race — humankind
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. race — a contest
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ball — a dance
  13. season — of the year
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — not warm
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ball — a great time
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. fine — all right
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. race — the arms race

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