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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 120 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ground — the earth
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — humankind
  10. charge — in control
  11. bank — for money
  12. charge — a price
  13. cap — a hat
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. race — a contest
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ground — a position
  18. snap — to click
  19. cap — a lid
  20. charge — electricity
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bank — for money
  24. ruler — a monarch

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