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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. board — to get on
  4. field — for sport
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. race — humankind
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. last — final
  19. bear — the animal
  20. last — finally
  21. board — a committee
  22. field — a subject
  23. last — to go on
  24. field — farmland

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