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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. current — of water
  6. race — the arms race
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. scale — size or range
  15. race — a contest
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. scale — in music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pound — a weight

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