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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. cold — an illness
  3. press — newspapers
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bear — the animal
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cold — not warm
  10. race — humankind
  11. board — a committee
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. scale — in music
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. race — a contest
  19. press — to push
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bear — the animal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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