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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. capital — a city
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stand — to bear
  7. race — humankind
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. ball — a dance
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pit — in a race
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. row — a line
  19. capital — money
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. race — a contest
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ball — a great time

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