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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. can — a tin
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — humankind
  4. can — a tin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. stand — to bear
  11. drill — army training
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. drill — a practice
  14. can — to be able to
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. chair — a leader
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. drill — the tool
  22. track — a song
  23. lie — to recline
  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