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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 124 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ground — a position
  4. pass — a permit
  5. race — the arms race
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bound — obliged
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bound — certain
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. race — humankind
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. board — a committee
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. board — to get on
  21. race — a contest
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pass — to succeed

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