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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. object — an aim
  6. face — part of the head
  7. firm — steady
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. ground — the earth
  10. race — a contest
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — a thing
  14. capital — money
  15. face — to point toward
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. face — to confront
  21. capital — a city
  22. ground — crushed
  23. object — to protest
  24. ground — a position

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