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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. charge — electricity
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. race — humankind
  8. charge — in control
  9. rule — government
  10. chair — a leader
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. race — a contest
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. charge — a price
  23. rule — a law
  24. race — the arms race

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