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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. prune — to trim
  3. squash — to crush
  4. race — the arms race
  5. prune — to trim
  6. squash — the sport
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cue — a signal
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cue — for pool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ball — a great time
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bowl — to roll
  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