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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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ball — a great time
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rash — a series
  7. race — a contest
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lean — thin
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. spring — the season
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ball — a dance
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fine — all right
  22. rash — hasty
  23. fine — high quality
  24. spring — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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