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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cue — a hint
  4. race — humankind
  5. board — a committee
  6. swing — in golf
  7. branch — a division
  8. board — to get on
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. cue — for pool
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. scale — in music
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. race — a contest
  23. cue — a signal
  24. branch — of a tree

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