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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. race — a contest
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. branch — a division
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. can — a tin
  17. pound — a weight
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. can — to be able to
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. race — humankind

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