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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 124 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. race — humankind
  4. pop — to visit
  5. race — the arms race
  6. sharp — clever
  7. face — to point toward
  8. spell — letters
  9. charge — a price
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. spell — magic
  13. race — a contest
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — part of the head
  18. spell — a short time
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. bowl — a dish

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