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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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468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. race — the arms race
  3. foot — a measure
  4. land — to come down
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. race — a contest
  8. land — a country
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. object — a thing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. object — an aim
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. squash — to crush
  17. race — humankind
  18. object — to protest
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. land — ground
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. squash — the sport

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