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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mate — a partner
  4. season — in sport
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. race — humankind
  7. face — to confront
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. race — the arms race
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. chip — for betting
  12. scale — in music
  13. staff — a stick
  14. foot — a measure
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. face — to point toward
  21. season — of the year
  22. face — part of the head
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. race — a contest

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