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

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. game — a match
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. present — a gift
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chair — a leader
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — a trail
  9. race — a contest
  10. game — wild animals
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. toast — bread
  14. present — there
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. race — the arms race
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. present — the time now
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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