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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. can — a tin
  4. swing — in golf
  5. game — wild animals
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — a company
  9. race — a contest
  10. rest — what's left
  11. swing — music
  12. game — a match
  13. firm — decided
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — the arms race
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. swing — to play on
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. firm — steady
  22. rest — a break
  23. pitch — completely
  24. can — to be able to

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