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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. kid — to tease
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — a contest
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chip — for betting
  7. kid — child
  8. rush — hurry
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chip — to eat
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. charge — electricity

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