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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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ground — crushed
  3. fork — in a road
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — humankind
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fine — all right
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stock — goods
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. ground — a position
  19. race — a contest
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fork — a garden tool

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