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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mug — a cup
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bass — low music
  11. press — a publisher
  12. race — a contest
  13. mug — to rob
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — rain
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. race — humankind
  20. mug — a face
  21. press — to push
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. press — newspapers

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