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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. race — a contest
  3. club — a group
  4. race — humankind
  5. bat — the animal
  6. field — farmland
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. field — a subject
  9. firm — steady
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. field — for sport
  15. firm — a company
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — for dancing

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