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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. race — humankind
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rule — a law
  16. shower — to wash
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rule — government
  21. mark — a trace
  22. race — a contest
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. shower — rain

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