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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. race — the arms race
  3. club — a group
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. club — for dancing
  7. race — a contest
  8. club — for golf
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. race — humankind
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fall — the season
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. date — the fruit
  18. game — wild animals
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. game — a match

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