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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. race — a contest
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. march — the month
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bound — obliged
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. march — music
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bound — certain
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — electricity
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. charge — in control
  20. rash — a series
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. ground — a position
  24. march — the month

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