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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 120 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ground — crushed
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. club — a group
  6. can — a tin
  7. race — humankind
  8. ground — the earth
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. ground — a position
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — a contest
  17. rule — government
  18. can — to be able to
  19. club — for dancing
  20. dip — to sink
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. club — for golf
  23. rule — a law
  24. can — a tin

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