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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. swing — music
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — a contest
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mark — a grade
  12. swing — in golf
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. track — a song
  17. rule — government
  18. track — a path
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. charge — a price
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. charge — in control

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