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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. track — a path
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. track — a song
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. track — to keep track
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. race — the arms race
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. race — humankind
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. race — a contest
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pit — in a race

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