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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. perch — the fish
  3. race — a contest
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. spring — the season
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. face — to confront
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. spring — of water
  11. suit — to fit
  12. face — part of the head
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. chair — a leader
  15. face — to point toward
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. spring — a coil
  19. suit — clothes
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. suit — in cards
  24. race — the arms race

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