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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. charge — in control
  4. stand — to bear
  5. band — a music group
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. swing — to play on
  9. object — an aim
  10. band — a ring
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. object — a thing
  13. swing — in golf
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. race — humankind
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. swing — music
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rush — hurry
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — a contest
  24. object — to protest

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