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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 120 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. face — to confront
  5. object — a thing
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. race — a contest
  13. face — to point toward
  14. spell — letters
  15. race — humankind
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. object — to protest
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. game — wild animals
  21. face — part of the head
  22. object — an aim
  23. race — the arms race
  24. game — a match

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