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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cap — of ice
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bore — to tire
  10. race — humankind
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bear — the animal
  15. content — the amount
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — a lid
  24. race — a contest

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