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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. land — ground
  3. bear — the animal
  4. land — to come down
  5. key — for a lock
  6. press — newspapers
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. key — in music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. press — to push
  16. land — a country
  17. race — a contest
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. race — humankind
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. press — a publisher
  23. key — the most important part
  24. perch — for a bird

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