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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rest — what's left
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. lean — to bend
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. face — to confront
  8. ground — the earth
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ground — crushed
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. race — humankind
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rest — what's left
  15. face — part of the head
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. lean — thin
  18. dip — to sink
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ground — a position
  21. race — the arms race
  22. rest — a break
  23. face — to point toward
  24. chip — to eat

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