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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. race — humankind
  6. current — electric
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ground — crushed
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cue — a hint
  12. current — of water
  13. ground — a position
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. race — the arms race
  18. cue — a signal
  19. current — happening now
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ball — a dance
  24. race — a contest

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