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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. club — a group
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. fall — to drop
  5. club — for golf
  6. fall — the season
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. capital — money
  15. fall — to drop
  16. club — for dancing
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. capital — a city
  19. race — humankind
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. key — for a lock
  22. current — happening now
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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