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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. tear — from crying
  3. race — a contest
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. tear — to rip
  6. staff — employees
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. charge — electricity
  10. staff — employees
  11. charge — in control
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. race — humankind
  18. staff — a stick
  19. tear — from crying
  20. charge — a price
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. saw — the tool
  24. swing — music

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