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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. race — a contest
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mate — a friend
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pit — in a race
  7. shower — to wash
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mate — to breed
  10. fork — in a road
  11. shower — rain
  12. race — humankind
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pit — a hole
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. race — the arms race
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. mate — a partner
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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