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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. race — a contest
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pop — music
  9. cell — in biology
  10. fall — the season
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stock — goods
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. pop — soda
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. race — humankind
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pop — to visit
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. stem — to come from
  24. race — the arms race

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