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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rule — a law
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. sharp — clever
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. race — a contest
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mark — a trace
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. ground — a position
  23. rule — government
  24. race — humankind

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