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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. firm — decided
  4. race — the arms race
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. firm — steady
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. clip — for paper
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. object — to protest
  13. race — a contest
  14. object — a thing
  15. bass — low music
  16. board — to get on
  17. lie — to recline
  18. clip — to cut
  19. race — humankind
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bass — the fish
  22. firm — a company
  23. clip — a video
  24. board — a committee

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