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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. squash — to crush
  4. key — in music
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. squash — the sport
  8. key — the most important part
  9. race — humankind
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. race — a contest
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. track — a song
  15. tube — the underground
  16. track — a path
  17. key — for a lock
  18. track — to keep track
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pitch — completely
  24. lash — to lash out

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