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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — a contest
  4. charge — a price
  5. pound — a weight
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. charge — in control
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. chest — of your body
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. ball — a dance
  17. race — the arms race
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bass — the fish
  20. deal — to handle
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bass — low music
  24. chair — a leader

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