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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fine — high quality
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bass — the fish
  5. race — a contest
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. race — the arms race
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. hand — help
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bass — low music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rest — a break
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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