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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ball — a great time
  6. race — a contest
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. suit — clothes
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mark — a grade
  16. race — humankind
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. suit — to fit
  21. kid — to tease
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rush — hurry
  24. hand — help

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