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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. chest — of your body
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — a contest
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. charge — a price
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chest — a box
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. charge — in control
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mouse — for a computer

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