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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. present — there
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. object — to protest
  6. present — a gift
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. object — an aim
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. ground — crushed
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. race — a contest
  14. ground — the earth
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. ground — a position
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. race — humankind
  22. charge — a price
  23. object — a thing
  24. race — the arms race

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