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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 116 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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. mug — to rob
  3. race — humankind
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. capital — a city
  8. mug — a face
  9. capital — money
  10. drill — the tool
  11. chip — to eat
  12. drill — a practice
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mug — a cup
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — a tool
  23. race — a contest
  24. chip — for betting

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