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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. charge — a price
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. club — for golf
  9. suit — to fit
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — humankind
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. club — a group
  14. stock — goods
  15. ball — a dance
  16. club — for dancing
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — shares
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — in control
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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