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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. track — a song
  3. race — the arms race
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. club — a group
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. cap — a lid
  9. track — to keep track
  10. foot — a measure
  11. race — humankind
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rash — a series
  15. cap — a hat
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. race — a contest
  18. club — for golf
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. track — a path
  23. cap — of ice
  24. hide — animal skin

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