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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. club — a group
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fall — the season
  5. charge — electricity
  6. race — a contest
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. club — for dancing
  9. charge — in control
  10. rash — a series
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. ground — crushed
  13. charge — a price
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. race — humankind
  19. ground — a position
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — in sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. season — of the year
  24. club — for golf

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