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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rest — a break
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rest — what's left
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — thin
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. race — the arms race
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lean — to bend
  17. cap — of ice
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rest — what's left
  23. race — humankind
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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