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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. stand — to bear
  7. race — humankind
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. race — a contest
  11. kid — to tease
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mate — a friend
  16. chip — to eat
  17. race — the arms race
  18. lean — thin
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mate — to breed
  22. chip — for betting
  23. kid — child
  24. bark — to shout

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