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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mug — a cup
  5. present — a gift
  6. court — for sport
  7. club — a group
  8. court — of law
  9. present — there
  10. court — of a king
  11. club — for golf
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. present — the time now
  14. club — for dancing
  15. ground — a position
  16. race — the arms race
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mug — a face
  19. race — a contest
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. race — humankind
  22. date — the fruit
  23. mug — to rob
  24. rush — a thrill

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