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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bound — certain
  6. band — a music group
  7. fine — all right
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bound — obliged
  16. race — humankind
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. band — a ring
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cap — a hat
  24. race — a contest

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