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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cue — a signal
  3. shower — to wash
  4. object — a thing
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. object — to protest
  7. lie — to recline
  8. squash — the sport
  9. shower — rain
  10. object — an aim
  11. cap — a hat
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. race — a contest
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cap — of ice
  22. race — humankind
  23. squash — to crush
  24. cap — a lid

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