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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. race — the arms race
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rock — music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rock — a stone
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. board — a committee
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. race — a contest
  13. branch — a division
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. land — a country
  16. land — to come down
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wax — to grow
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. land — ground
  23. saw — the tool
  24. board — to get on

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