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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. season — of the year
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wake — a trail
  9. staff — employees
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. lie — to recline
  12. race — a contest
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. race — humankind
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. season — in sport
  24. lie — an untruth

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