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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. capital — money
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. last — final
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. last — to go on
  17. capital — a city
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — a contest
  20. last — finally
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — a break

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