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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rule — government
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. present — the time now
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. present — there
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — humankind
  13. rule — a law
  14. present — a gift
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. object — a thing
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wind — moving air
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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