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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. charge — electricity
  4. object — to protest
  5. charge — in control
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. charge — a price
  9. track — a song
  10. content — the amount
  11. board — to get on
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — happy
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. race — humankind
  17. board — a committee
  18. object — a thing
  19. track — a path
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. object — an aim
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. track — to keep track
  24. present — there

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