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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. clip — a video
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rule — government
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. clip — to cut
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. lean — to bend
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. race — a contest
  18. lean — thin
  19. race — the arms race
  20. clip — for paper
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. rule — a law

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