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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. race — humankind
  4. net — after costs
  5. race — a contest
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — for catching
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. net — in sport
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wake — a trail
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ball — a dance
  24. race — the arms race

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