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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 116 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. court — of law
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. court — of a king
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rush — hurry
  15. court — for sport
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. race — a contest
  23. chair — a leader
  24. race — humankind

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