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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. track — a song
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pound — a weight
  10. track — a path
  11. prune — to trim
  12. race — humankind
  13. cap — a lid
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitch — completely
  19. track — to keep track
  20. race — a contest
  21. bank — of a river
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pound — for dogs

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