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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. race — the arms race
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ground — crushed
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. ground — the earth
  10. race — humankind
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ground — a position
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. craft — boats
  21. race — a contest
  22. dip — to sink
  23. drill — the tool
  24. ruler — a monarch

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