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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rock — music
  4. race — a contest
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. chip — for betting
  7. rock — a stone
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. craft — boats
  12. tube — a container
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stock — shares
  21. race — the arms race
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stock — goods
  24. craft — a handicraft

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