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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — crushed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spring — of water
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. spring — the season
  16. pass — a permit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. ground — a position
  20. race — a contest
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. spring — a coil
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — a straw man

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