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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pop · stick · face · spell · race · season · fine · arm

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fine — all right
  4. season — of the year
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. season — in sport
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. race — a contest
  11. face — to confront
  12. pop — to visit
  13. spell — letters
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. spell — magic
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pop — music
  19. face — part of the head
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pop — soda
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — high quality
  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