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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. race — the arms race
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rock — a stone
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. dip — to sink
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. race — a contest
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. race — humankind
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bass — low music

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