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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. fall — the season
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mine — for digging
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. race — the arms race
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cue — a signal
  20. race — a contest
  21. fall — to drop
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. race — humankind

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