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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · pitch · club · race · chest · kid

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. chest — a box
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. club — for dancing
  9. fine — all right
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. kid — to tease
  14. pitch — completely
  15. chest — of your body
  16. fine — high quality
  17. kid — child
  18. race — a contest

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