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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. can — to be able to
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — the animal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. present — the time now
  9. race — a contest
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. can — a tin
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. present — a gift
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. can — a tin
  19. present — there
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. game — wild animals
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. game — a match

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