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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. swing — music
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. swing — in golf
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. fine — all right
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. race — the arms race
  14. swing — to play on
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. key — the most important part
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. key — in music
  19. bat — the animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. key — for a lock
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — high quality

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