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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. band — a ring
  3. race — a contest
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. band — a music group
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. race — humankind
  10. game — wild animals
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. fine — high quality
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. fine — all right
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. game — a match
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mine — for digging
  24. kid — to tease

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