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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. perch — the fish
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. march — music
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fall — to drop
  8. march — the month
  9. race — a contest
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. press — to push
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. march — the month
  19. plane — a tool
  20. race — humankind
  21. bat — the animal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fall — the season

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