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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. race — a contest
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. race — the arms race
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. race — humankind
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pit — a hole
  24. sharp — exactly

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