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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. race — a contest
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. fork — in a road
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. race — humankind
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. snap — to click
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. key — for a lock
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. chip — for betting
  17. key — in music
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. key — the most important part
  20. plane — a tool
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. fork — a garden tool

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