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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
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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: race · rush · fine · season · chest · stick · ball · present

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rush — hurry
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. present — the time now
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. race — a contest
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. race — humankind
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. present — there
  15. season — in sport
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fine — all right
  22. present — a gift
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — to add flavour

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