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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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. chip — for betting
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. track — a path
  7. bear — the animal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. degree — from a university
  17. track — a song
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. degree — temperature
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. game — a match
  24. race — a contest

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