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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. race — humankind
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. land — a country
  7. race — a contest
  8. net — in sport
  9. club — for dancing
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. face — to point toward
  12. deal — to handle
  13. club — for golf
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — a stone
  16. net — for catching
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. land — to come down
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. club — a group
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rock — music
  23. net — after costs
  24. land — ground

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