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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. race — humankind
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. race — a contest
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cold — an illness
  9. cold — not warm
  10. object — an aim
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. object — to protest
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. race — the arms race
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. prune — to trim
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. object — a thing

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