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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. race — the arms race
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. race — humankind
  5. bound — obliged
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mine — for digging
  8. snap — to click
  9. roll — a cake
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. suit — in cards
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. staff — employees
  16. track — to keep track
  17. race — a contest
  18. track — a path
  19. roll — a list
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bound — certain
  23. track — a song
  24. bound — tied together

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