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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. race — the arms race
  3. current — of water
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. board — a committee
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — shares
  16. press — to push
  17. race — a contest
  18. current — happening now
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. board — to get on
  21. current — electric
  22. shower — to wash
  23. race — humankind
  24. shower — rain

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