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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — humankind
  5. bass — low music
  6. net — for catching
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. race — the arms race
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. object — a thing
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. object — an aim
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. chair — a leader
  17. net — after costs
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bass — the fish
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. object — to protest

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