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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ball — a dance
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. race — the arms race
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. court — for sport
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. race — a contest
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. ball — a great time
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. race — humankind
  19. court — of law
  20. toast — bread
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. court — of a king
  24. bore — to drill

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