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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 120 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. race — a contest
  3. charge — a price
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mine — for digging
  10. tear — to rip
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. tear — from crying
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rash — a series
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. race — humankind
  20. tear — from crying
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — on the skin

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