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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. present — there
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — clever
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. race — humankind
  11. rash — hasty
  12. present — the time now
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pitch — completely
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. present — a gift
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. race — a contest
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a hole

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