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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rock — music
  8. hand — help
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. race — a contest
  14. mark — a grade
  15. hand — in cards
  16. current — of water
  17. lie — to recline
  18. race — humankind

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