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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. race — a contest
  3. rock — music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. shower — to wash
  8. race — humankind
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. shower — rain
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. roll — a cake
  18. race — the arms race
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. roll — a list
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rock — a stone

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