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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. race — humankind
  3. charge — in control
  4. track — a path
  5. mug — to rob
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. track — a song
  9. mug — a cup
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. pass — a permit
  14. track — to keep track
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bank — of a river
  17. file — a tool
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. race — a contest
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mug — a face
  22. file — a line of people
  23. ball — a great time
  24. file — a document

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