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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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. game — a match
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. suit — to fit
  8. object — to protest
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. object — a thing
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hand — in cards
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. object — an aim
  19. hand — help
  20. race — humankind
  21. suit — in cards
  22. race — a contest
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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