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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. race — a contest
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stock — goods
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. race — humankind
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. present — there
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. present — the time now
  15. stock — shares
  16. snap — to click
  17. suit — clothes
  18. race — the arms race
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. foot — a measure
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. present — a gift

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