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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cue — for pool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. race — humankind
  6. lie — to recline
  7. race — the arms race
  8. capital — a city
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. capital — money
  14. shower — rain
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. shower — to wash
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. craft — a skill
  19. race — a contest
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pitch — completely
  22. craft — boats
  23. sharp — clever
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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