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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. race — humankind
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rock — a stone
  6. game — a match
  7. race — a contest
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. game — wild animals
  10. kid — child
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. staff — employees
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. rock — music
  20. kid — to tease
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. perch — for a bird

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