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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. band — a music group
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rest — what's left
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. suit — in cards
  9. band — a ring
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rest — a break
  13. capital — money
  14. bore — to tire
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — a contest
  17. chip — for betting
  18. capital — a city
  19. bore — to drill
  20. suit — to fit
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rest — what's left

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