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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. race — a contest
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chip — to eat
  8. prune — to trim
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. object — a thing
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. object — an aim
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. race — humankind
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pitch — completely
  20. chip — for betting
  21. race — the arms race
  22. date — the fruit
  23. plane — a tool
  24. deal — a big deal

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