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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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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. pass — to spend time
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mark — a grade
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. board — to get on
  13. race — a contest
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. race — humankind
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. spring — the season
  20. mark — a trace
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — a committee

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