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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. firm — a company
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. spring — of water
  5. season — in sport
  6. object — an aim
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. firm — decided
  9. land — to come down
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. season — of the year
  13. land — ground
  14. race — the arms race
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. object — to protest
  17. spring — a coil
  18. stand — to bear
  19. land — a country
  20. race — a contest
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. firm — steady
  23. spring — the season
  24. object — a thing

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