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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. land — a country
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. season — of the year
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — in music
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. squash — the sport
  14. season — in sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. swing — in golf
  17. race — humankind
  18. swing — music
  19. race — a contest
  20. squash — to crush
  21. swing — to play on
  22. key — the most important part
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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