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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. race — humankind
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — a hole
  5. can — a tin
  6. race — the arms race
  7. rest — what's left
  8. swing — music
  9. snap — to click
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. race — a contest
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. chip — to eat
  19. swing — to play on
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rock — music
  22. can — a tin
  23. rest — a break
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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