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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. board — a committee
  6. race — the arms race
  7. board — to get on
  8. last — final
  9. pop — soda
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. hand — help
  13. last — to go on
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pop — music
  17. last — finally
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. race — a contest
  21. rock — music
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rock — to move gently

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