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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. race — humankind
  3. lean — thin
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. race — a contest
  14. mark — a trace
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pass — a permit
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. toast — bread

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