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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. court — of a king
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. court — for sport
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rock — a stone
  12. face — to point toward
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. face — part of the head
  16. kick — in football
  17. face — to confront
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. court — of law
  20. rock — music
  21. fall — the season
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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