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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lean — thin
  4. rush — hurry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — a contest
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. net — after costs
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lean — to bend
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. net — in sport
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. net — for catching
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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