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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 120 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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. track — a path
  3. pop — soda
  4. track — a song
  5. race — the arms race
  6. spring — a coil
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. hand — in cards
  12. spring — of water
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. spring — the season
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pop — music
  21. race — a contest
  22. hand — help
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pass — to succeed

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