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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 116 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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 — the arms race
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. kick — in football
  8. race — humankind
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — to confront
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bore — to drill
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. face — part of the head
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. race — a contest
  23. lean — thin
  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