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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. fall — the season
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rock — music
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. race — a contest
  9. bound — certain
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. object — a thing
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bound — tied together
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fall — to drop
  16. race — humankind
  17. fall — to drop
  18. object — an aim
  19. bound — obliged
  20. foot — a measure
  21. root — of a plant
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. object — to protest
  24. rock — a stone

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