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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bass — low music
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pit — in a race
  5. race — a contest
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. object — a thing
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bass — the fish
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rush — a thrill

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