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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. race — the arms race
  3. charge — a price
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — in control
  9. deal — to handle
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rush — hurry
  12. ground — the earth
  13. race — a contest
  14. ground — a position
  15. race — humankind
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. squash — the sport
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. squash — to crush

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