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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fine — all right
  3. staff — employees
  4. race — a contest
  5. net — in sport
  6. staff — employees
  7. fine — high quality
  8. net — after costs
  9. key — in music
  10. staff — a stick
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — the arms race
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. net — for catching
  24. rule — government

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