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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. track — a path
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. race — humankind
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pop — soda
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. track — a song
  20. pitch — completely
  21. race — a contest
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pop — music
  24. row — a line

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