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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 124 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. race — humankind
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. race — the arms race
  5. net — after costs
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stand — to bear
  8. race — a contest
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. net — for catching
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. court — of law
  16. court — of a king
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. lean — thin
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. court — for sport

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