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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. season — of the year
  12. rest — a break
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bear — the animal
  15. race — a contest
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kid — to tease
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. kid — child
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mine — for digging
  24. season — in sport

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