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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. clip — to cut
  4. mug — to rob
  5. firm — steady
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. clip — for paper
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — decided
  12. race — the arms race
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. firm — a company
  17. race — humankind
  18. clip — a video
  19. scale — in music
  20. mug — a face
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. scale — size or range
  23. mug — a cup
  24. race — a contest

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