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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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. race — humankind
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pitch — completely
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bound — certain
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pop — music
  13. craft — boats
  14. game — a match
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — wild animals
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. pop — soda
  20. race — a contest
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. club — a group
  24. bound — obliged

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