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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. race — humankind
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. squash — to crush
  5. wake — a trail
  6. track — a song
  7. race — the arms race
  8. track — to keep track
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — child
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — an aim
  14. race — a contest
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. object — to protest
  18. track — a path
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. squash — the sport
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. kid — to tease
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. hide — animal skin

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