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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. race — a contest
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — the arms race
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cap — a lid
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cap — a hat
  20. scale — in music
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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