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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 124 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fine — high quality
  4. race — a contest
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. cell — a phone
  7. spell — a short time
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cell — in biology
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. row — to paddle
  12. cap — a lid
  13. foot — a measure
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. row — a line
  18. spell — magic
  19. cap — of ice
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. fine — all right
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — letters

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