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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. race — the arms race
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bear — the animal
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. drill — army training
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. drill — a practice
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. race — a contest
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. race — humankind
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chair — a leader
  22. face — to confront
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cabinet — ministers

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