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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. race — the arms race
  3. firm — steady
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. mate — a friend
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mate — a partner
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. race — humankind
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. race — a contest
  17. stand — to bear
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stock — goods
  20. firm — decided
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. firm — a company
  24. chip — to eat

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