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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. cap — a hat
  3. mine — for digging
  4. race — a contest
  5. firm — a company
  6. race — humankind
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. firm — steady
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cap — of ice
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mug — a cup
  15. race — the arms race
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mug — a face
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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