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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fork — in a road
  7. cap — a hat
  8. object — a thing
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. race — the arms race
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. object — an aim
  14. branch — a division
  15. race — humankind
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cap — a lid
  18. race — a contest
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cap — of ice
  22. object — to protest
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. ruler — for measuring

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