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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rock — a stone
  3. club — for golf
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. club — a group
  6. race — the arms race
  7. rest — a break
  8. last — to go on
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. season — of the year
  11. tube — a container
  12. last — final
  13. race — humankind
  14. rest — what's left
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. last — finally
  19. season — in sport
  20. tube — the underground
  21. club — for dancing
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rock — music

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