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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. court — of law
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. object — a thing
  5. race — humankind
  6. track — a path
  7. chip — to eat
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. object — to protest
  12. chip — for betting
  13. season — in sport
  14. court — of a king
  15. key — in music
  16. track — to keep track
  17. key — the most important part
  18. race — a contest
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. object — an aim
  21. court — for sport
  22. key — for a lock
  23. track — a song
  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