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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. fine — all right
  3. race — a contest
  4. pit — in a race
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. race — humankind
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. staff — employees
  15. toast — bread
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fine — high quality
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. stem — to come from
  24. toast — the most admired

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