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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. land — ground
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. object — to protest
  6. land — to come down
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cue — a signal
  9. race — humankind
  10. object — an aim
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. land — a country
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. race — a contest
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rush — hurry
  17. object — a thing
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wound — an injury
  20. race — the arms race
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cue — for pool
  24. wound — an injury

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