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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. race — the arms race
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. race — humankind
  8. wind — moving air
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. lean — to bend
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cell — in biology
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. race — a contest
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wind — moving air
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. cell — a phone

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