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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. ground — the earth
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. branch — a division
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. ground — a position
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cue — a signal
  17. face — to point toward
  18. race — humankind
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. race — a contest
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. ground — crushed
  24. snap — to click

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