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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. race — the arms race
  5. chip — to eat
  6. race — humankind
  7. root — of a word
  8. court — of law
  9. race — a contest
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. court — for sport
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. root — the cause
  21. court — of a king
  22. pit — a hole
  23. object — a thing
  24. root — of a plant

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