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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wound — an injury
  4. race — a contest
  5. rest — a break
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ball — a great time
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. race — humankind
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. band — a music group
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. band — a ring
  20. rest — what's left
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wound — an injury

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