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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mate — to breed
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. race — humankind
  8. object — an aim
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. object — a thing
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bass — low music
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. object — to protest
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. race — the arms race

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