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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. cap — a hat
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pound — a weight
  6. charge — in control
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cap — a lid
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. sharp — clever
  14. ball — a great time
  15. charge — electricity
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. lean — thin
  19. race — a contest
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cap — of ice
  23. date — the fruit
  24. charge — a price

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