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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. ball — a great time
  3. race — humankind
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. race — the arms race
  8. charge — in control
  9. ball — a dance
  10. charge — a price
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. prune — to trim
  14. craft — a skill
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. prune — to trim
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. craft — boats

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