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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cell — in biology
  7. board — to get on
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. race — a contest
  12. charge — a price
  13. race — humankind
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — electricity
  17. board — a committee
  18. rock — music
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bound — tied together
  24. trunk — of a tree

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