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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — completely
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. race — a contest
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fork — in a road
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. race — humankind
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. shower — to wash
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. shower — rain
  24. arm — part of the body

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