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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. press — a publisher
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. press — newspapers
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bass — the fish
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. press — to push
  15. race — the arms race
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. saw — the tool
  18. race — a contest
  19. staff — employees
  20. capital — money
  21. capital — a city
  22. staff — employees
  23. bass — low music
  24. foot — the bottom

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