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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — humankind
  4. suit — to fit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — clothes
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. staff — employees
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — a stick
  16. race — the arms race
  17. chair — a leader
  18. lie — to recline
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chair — a professorship

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