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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. race — the arms race
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. race — humankind
  6. root — the cause
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pop — soda
  9. root — of a word
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chip — to eat
  16. prune — to trim
  17. root — of a plant
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bat — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bat — for baseball

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