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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 120 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. patient — a sick person
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. firm — decided
  13. pitch — completely
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. firm — a company
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. scale — in music
  21. file — a document
  22. scale — size or range
  23. lie — to recline
  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