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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 124 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. firm — decided
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rule — a law
  5. game — wild animals
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. firm — a company
  8. cell — in biology
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. hand — in cards
  14. rule — government
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cell — a phone
  17. game — a match
  18. race — a contest
  19. hand — help
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. firm — steady
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wave — with your hand

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