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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. land — to come down
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. toast — bread
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ball — a great time
  8. land — a country
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. land — ground
  11. race — humankind
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. craft — boats
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. race — a contest
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. shower — to wash
  20. ball — a dance
  21. craft — a skill
  22. shower — rain
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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