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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. row — a line
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. race — the arms race
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. face — to confront
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. race — a contest
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. face — to point toward
  15. race — humankind
  16. branch — a division
  17. pit — in a race
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. row — to paddle
  21. court — of law
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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