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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. can — a tin
  3. race — the arms race
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rule — government
  7. drill — army training
  8. can — to be able to
  9. race — humankind
  10. suit — in cards
  11. can — a tin
  12. rule — a law
  13. kid — to tease
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. drill — the tool
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chair — a leader
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. drill — a practice
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. race — a contest

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