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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. race — humankind
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. race — a contest
  5. can — to be able to
  6. tear — from crying
  7. chip — to eat
  8. can — a tin
  9. race — the arms race
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. tear — to rip
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. object — an aim
  21. chip — for betting
  22. firm — decided
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mark — to pay attention

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