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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — the tool
  9. ground — the earth
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. current — happening now
  12. ground — a position
  13. rest — what's left
  14. race — humankind
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. current — of water
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rest — a break
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. current — electric
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rest — what's left
  24. drill — a practice

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