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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bass — low music
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. capital — money
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rule — government
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — a song
  15. capital — a city
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. race — a contest
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bass — the fish
  20. race — humankind
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. rule — a law
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rule — to rule out

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