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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. swing — music
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. content — the amount
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. swing — in golf
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. race — the arms race
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pit — in a race
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. content — happy
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rock — music
  24. chip — for betting

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