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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mug — a face
  3. face — to confront
  4. spring — a coil
  5. land — ground
  6. mug — to rob
  7. land — to come down
  8. mug — a cup
  9. race — a contest
  10. land — a country
  11. race — the arms race
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — part of the head
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. spring — of water
  22. spring — the season
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. toast — bread

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