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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. object — to protest
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pitch — completely
  8. race — humankind
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. object — a thing
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. ball — a dance
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. race — the arms race
  17. charge — a price
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. object — an aim
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. perch — the fish

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