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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. row — to paddle
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. present — there
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fine — all right
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. present — the time now
  11. hand — help
  12. race — a contest
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fine — high quality
  16. present — a gift
  17. cap — a hat
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. race — humankind
  22. hand — in cards
  23. row — a line
  24. coach — a trainer

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