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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bound — certain
  3. face — part of the head
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bound — tied together
  7. perch — the fish
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — a contest
  10. fine — all right
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fall — the season
  13. staff — a stick
  14. face — to confront
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. face — to point toward
  18. staff — employees
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fall — to drop
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fine — high quality
  24. staff — employees

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