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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pass — a permit
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. game — a match
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. race — humankind
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. race — a contest

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