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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. key — in music
  3. file — a tool
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. file — a document
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — humankind
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stand — to bear
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. key — the most important part
  19. file — a line of people
  20. key — for a lock
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. perch — the fish
  24. foot — part of the body

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