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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tear — to rip
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cap — a hat
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. race — a contest
  15. tear — from crying
  16. cue — a hint
  17. tear — from crying
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. race — humankind
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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