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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. spell — letters
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mate — a partner
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bound — obliged
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitch — completely
  12. race — humankind
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. spell — magic
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. race — a contest
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bound — certain
  23. mate — a friend
  24. spell — a short time

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