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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. race — humankind
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. race — the arms race
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. row — to paddle
  9. staff — employees
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. row — a line
  17. race — a contest
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. staff — a stick
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. staff — employees

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