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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. scale — in music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. present — the time now
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. race — the arms race
  11. date — the fruit
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fork — in a road
  16. race — a contest
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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