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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 116 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. race — humankind
  3. object — an aim
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. cap — a hat
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. present — there
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cap — of ice
  12. present — a gift
  13. snap — to click
  14. race — a contest
  15. track — a path
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. object — a thing
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wound — an injury
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. object — to protest
  22. wound — an injury
  23. race — the arms race
  24. track — a song

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