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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. track — a song
  4. hand — help
  5. mark — a grade
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — the arms race
  8. can — a tin
  9. kick — in football
  10. track — a path
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mark — a trace
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. hand — in cards
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rock — music
  21. race — humankind
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rush — a thrill

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