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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. race — a contest
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cap — a hat
  6. race — humankind
  7. rest — what's left
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. cap — a lid
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. board — to get on
  15. rash — hasty
  16. lean — to bend
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — a series
  20. bound — obliged
  21. cap — of ice
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lean — thin
  24. board — a committee

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