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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. race — the arms race
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. race — a contest
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. club — for dancing
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for golf
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. race — humankind
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. spring — the season
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. spring — a coil

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