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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. race — the arms race
  2. kid — child
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wound — an injury
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. firm — steady
  8. race — a contest
  9. kid — to tease
  10. firm — decided
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bound — certain
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. firm — a company
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mug — a face
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mug — to rob
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bound — obliged
  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