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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — a position
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. track — to keep track
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. race — humankind
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. race — a contest
  14. track — a song
  15. cell — in biology
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stem — to come from
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ground — crushed
  20. track — a path
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stem — of a plant

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