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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. toast — bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. saw — the tool
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. saw — the tool
  11. race — humankind
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. race — a contest
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pound — a weight
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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