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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stem — to come from
  7. race — humankind
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pop — soda
  11. bound — tied together
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. race — a contest
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pop — music
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bound — certain
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. toast — bread

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