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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 120 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. content — the amount
  3. spell — a short time
  4. race — a contest
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — magic
  8. club — a group
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. staff — employees
  13. club — for dancing
  14. race — the arms race
  15. staff — a stick
  16. race — humankind
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. staff — employees
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rash — hasty
  23. content — happy
  24. club — for golf

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