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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: hide · bound · fan · jam · present · bowl · race · rush

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. present — a gift
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. present — the time now
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rush — hurry
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bound — certain
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. present — there
  17. bound — tied together
  18. race — a contest
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rush — a thrill
  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