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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pitch — completely
  3. fine — all right
  4. spell — magic
  5. fine — high quality
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. spell — letters
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spell — a short time
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. stock — shares
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. lie — to recline
  19. race — humankind
  20. bear — the animal
  21. race — the arms race
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stock — goods
  24. bear — the animal

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