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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. race — humankind
  3. firm — steady
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. drill — army training
  6. race — the arms race
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. firm — a company
  11. bound — certain
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. firm — decided
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bound — tied together
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. race — a contest
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bound — obliged
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. sharp — with an edge

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