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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. fine — all right
  5. race — the arms race
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pass — a permit
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. deal — to handle
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. face — to confront
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stock — shares
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. race — humankind
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend time

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