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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. race — humankind
  3. season — in sport
  4. present — there
  5. mug — a cup
  6. race — a contest
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. present — the time now
  9. scale — size or range
  10. race — the arms race
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. degree — an amount
  13. board — to get on
  14. tear — from crying
  15. season — of the year
  16. tear — to rip
  17. present — a gift
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — to rob
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. board — a committee
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — temperature
  24. tear — from crying

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