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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pound — a weight
  5. court — of law
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. charge — a price
  8. wound — an injury
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bear — the animal
  11. craft — a skill
  12. race — humankind
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. court — for sport
  21. charge — in control
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. court — of a king

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