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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 116 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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. firm — steady
  3. race — a contest
  4. craft — boats
  5. bat — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. spring — the season
  10. rule — government
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. season — of the year
  15. craft — a skill
  16. race — the arms race
  17. firm — decided
  18. rule — a law
  19. rest — a break
  20. spring — of water
  21. firm — a company
  22. rest — what's left
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. race — humankind

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