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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. spring — the season
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — a price
  6. squash — the sport
  7. current — happening now
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. current — of water
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. spring — of water
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spring — a coil
  17. charge — electricity
  18. current — electric
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. race — a contest
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. charge — in control
  24. race — humankind

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