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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. current — of water
  3. lie — to recline
  4. hand — help
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — employees
  8. current — happening now
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. court — of a king
  11. current — electric
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. court — for sport
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. court — of law
  17. can — a tin
  18. staff — employees
  19. race — humankind
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. race — a contest
  23. hand — in cards
  24. staff — a stick

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