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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  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. ball — a round shape
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. race — a contest
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. press — newspapers
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cap — of ice
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fall — to drop
  12. press — a publisher
  13. cap — a lid
  14. ball — a great time
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. ball — a dance
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cap — a hat
  19. race — humankind
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. press — to push
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fall — the season
  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