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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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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: race · press · foot · trunk · object · bay · content · ground

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ground — crushed
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. press — to push
  6. race — a contest
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. press — newspapers
  15. content — the amount
  16. object — an aim
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. press — a publisher
  22. ground — a position
  23. content — happy
  24. ground — the earth

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