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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to click
  5. rest — a break
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rest — what's left
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. rush — hurry
  15. race — humankind
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bass — low music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bass — the fish
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. race — a contest
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. row — a line
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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