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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — for golf
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. race — the arms race
  6. shower — to wash
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. shower — rain
  9. race — humankind
  10. band — a ring
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. race — a contest
  17. club — a group
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pass — a permit
  20. band — a music group
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rash — hasty
  24. lie — an untruth

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