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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bass — the fish
  3. lean — thin
  4. face — to point toward
  5. firm — decided
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. sharp — clever
  8. race — the arms race
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bass — low music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. firm — steady
  18. shower — rain
  19. race — a contest
  20. shower — to wash
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. firm — a company
  24. face — to confront

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