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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. race — the arms race
  3. present — there
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mate — a partner
  7. present — a gift
  8. mate — to breed
  9. race — humankind
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. chest — a box
  15. stock — goods
  16. face — part of the head
  17. stock — shares
  18. current — electric
  19. face — to point toward
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. face — to confront
  22. race — a contest
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mate — a friend

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