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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. race — the arms race
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. cold — not warm
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. race — a contest
  11. mug — to rob
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. squash — to crush
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cold — an illness
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. squash — the sport
  23. race — humankind
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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