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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. can — to be able to
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. saw — the tool
  8. date — the fruit
  9. race — a contest
  10. can — a tin
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. can — a tin
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. object — a thing
  16. shower — to wash
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. saw — the tool
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. race — the arms race
  22. mug — a face
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. shower — rain

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