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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rock — a stone
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rock — music
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pit — a hole
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wound — an injury
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. squash — the sport
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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