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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. race — humankind
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. race — the arms race
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rash — hasty
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. rash — a series
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. land — ground
  18. chair — a leader
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. capital — money
  24. race — a contest

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