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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. can — a tin
  4. pit — in a race
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. dip — to sink
  10. land — a country
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pit — a hole
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. race — the arms race
  15. race — a contest
  16. land — ground
  17. can — to be able to
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. can — a tin
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. land — to come down
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. dip — a sauce

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