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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mate — a partner
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. staff — a stick
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. race — the arms race
  10. object — a thing
  11. staff — employees
  12. object — an aim
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. mate — to breed
  17. race — humankind
  18. staff — employees
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. race — a contest
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. object — to protest
  24. mate — a friend

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