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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mug — to rob
  3. charge — in control
  4. race — humankind
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. saw — the tool
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. charge — a price
  11. squash — the sport
  12. press — newspapers
  13. squash — to crush
  14. mug — a face
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mug — a cup
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pitch — completely
  21. charge — electricity
  22. race — a contest
  23. press — to push
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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