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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. suit — clothes
  3. clip — for paper
  4. suit — to fit
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bound — obliged
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. race — a contest
  9. mark — a grade
  10. race — the arms race
  11. foot — a measure
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bound — certain
  15. deal — to handle
  16. clip — a video
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. clip — to cut
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — a series
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mark — a trace

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