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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. capital — money
  6. capital — a city
  7. object — an aim
  8. swing — in golf
  9. tear — from crying
  10. swing — to play on
  11. tear — to rip
  12. object — a thing
  13. race — a contest
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. swing — music
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — a measure
  21. pitch — completely
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fork — in a road
  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