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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rule — government
  4. object — a thing
  5. saw — the tool
  6. scale — size or range
  7. object — to protest
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bear — the animal
  10. race — humankind
  11. object — an aim
  12. race — a contest
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bear — the animal
  16. scale — in music
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. drill — the tool
  19. rule — a law
  20. firm — steady
  21. saw — the tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. drill — army training

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