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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. race — the arms race
  4. track — to keep track
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. ball — a dance
  8. track — a song
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — a contest
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bear — the animal
  23. track — a path
  24. pitch — a sports field

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