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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: cabinet · snap · rash · foot · pitch · ball · race · bore

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. race — a contest
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bore — to drill
  8. snap — to click
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. race — the arms race
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. race — humankind
  18. rash — a series
  19. pitch — completely
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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