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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.

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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. toast — bread
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rest — a break
  10. rash — a series
  11. ground — the earth
  12. race — a contest
  13. ground — a position
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rest — what's left
  17. race — the arms race
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. race — humankind
  21. bulb — for light
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bowl — to roll

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