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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. race — humankind
  3. face — part of the head
  4. track — a song
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. race — a contest
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rash — hasty
  10. chest — of your body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — to confront
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — a path
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. face — to point toward
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chest — a box
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rash — a series
  24. race — the arms race

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