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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — the arms race
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hand — help
  9. ground — crushed
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. race — a contest
  12. ground — a position
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. hand — in cards
  16. ground — the earth
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. board — to get on
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. board — a committee
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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