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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bat — the animal
  6. march — the month
  7. cap — of ice
  8. charge — in control
  9. march — music
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stand — to bear
  13. charge — a price
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. march — the month
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. race — humankind
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cap — a lid
  23. race — a contest
  24. charge — electricity

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