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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. staff — a stick
  3. charge — a price
  4. race — the arms race
  5. charge — electricity
  6. race — a contest
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. charge — in control
  9. dip — to sink
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. staff — employees
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. clip — a video
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. clip — for paper
  19. staff — employees
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. clip — to cut
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. dip — a sauce

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