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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mark — a trace
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — a contest
  7. firm — steady
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. firm — a company
  11. kick — in football
  12. firm — decided
  13. season — of the year
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. current — of water
  18. board — to get on
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bat — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. board — a committee

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