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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. race — humankind
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. race — the arms race
  7. board — to get on
  8. mate — to breed
  9. board — a committee
  10. mate — a friend
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. race — a contest
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. face — part of the head
  17. firm — steady
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — to confront
  20. kid — child
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mate — a partner
  24. kid — to tease

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