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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. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. clip — a video
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. press — newspapers
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. press — to push
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. board — a committee
  12. race — the arms race
  13. mark — a grade
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — a publisher
  17. clip — to cut
  18. snap — to click
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. clip — for paper
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. board — to get on
  24. race — a contest

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