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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. firm — decided
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cap — a hat
  6. firm — steady
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stand — to bear
  9. club — a group
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. firm — a company
  12. cap — of ice
  13. club — for dancing
  14. race — a contest
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cap — a lid
  21. club — for golf
  22. race — the arms race
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cabinet — ministers

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