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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. firm — decided
  2. race — the arms race
  3. charge — in control
  4. object — a thing
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — steady
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. race — a contest
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. charge — electricity
  13. firm — a company
  14. object — an aim
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. object — to protest
  23. charge — a price
  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