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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 120 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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. race — the arms race
  3. season — in sport
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mate — a friend
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. race — humankind
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chest — a box
  19. race — a contest
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fan — a supporter

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