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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — a contest
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rule — government
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. craft — boats
  14. stock — goods
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — shares
  19. prune — to trim
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rule — a law
  23. bore — to drill
  24. race — humankind

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