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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. race — the arms race
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. pit — a hole
  9. date — the fruit
  10. chest — of your body
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — a signal
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. chest — of your body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. chest — a box
  24. hand — help

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