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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cap — a hat
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. degree — from a university
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. degree — temperature
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. race — humankind
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. race — a contest
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — to fit
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cap — of ice
  21. race — the arms race
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. cap — a lid
  24. degree — an amount

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