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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 120 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. race — the arms race
  3. file — a document
  4. last — final
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. race — humankind
  8. file — a line of people
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. race — a contest
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. last — to go on
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. file — a tool
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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