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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. race — a contest
  7. stand — to bear
  8. kid — to tease
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. staff — employees
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. race — the arms race
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. staff — employees
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — child
  24. bowl — to roll

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