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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. tear — from crying
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bulb — for light
  7. snap — to click
  8. race — a contest
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. court — for sport
  14. bulb — for light
  15. court — of a king
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. court — of law
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. race — humankind
  24. rush — hurry

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