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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. race — humankind
  3. pit — in a race
  4. face — to confront
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. face — part of the head
  11. hand — help
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. race — a contest
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. face — to point toward
  20. stand — to bear
  21. swing — music
  22. race — the arms race
  23. swing — to play on
  24. hand — in cards

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