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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — a contest
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — thin
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. spring — a coil
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. lean — to bend
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. spring — the season
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. season — in sport
  18. race — the arms race
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. season — of the year
  21. spring — of water
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. hide — to keep secret

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