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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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. spell — a short time
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. swing — in golf
  13. race — humankind
  14. sharp — clever
  15. object — a thing
  16. charge — electricity
  17. swing — to play on
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. spell — letters
  21. swing — music
  22. race — a contest
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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