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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. race — a contest
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. net — for catching
  5. race — humankind
  6. net — after costs
  7. present — the time now
  8. pop — to visit
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. march — music
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. present — there
  16. ball — a great time
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. net — in sport
  19. march — the month
  20. pop — music
  21. march — the month
  22. present — a gift
  23. pop — soda
  24. ball — a round shape

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