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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. race — humankind
  4. branch — a division
  5. race — a contest
  6. pit — a hole
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. game — wild animals
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mark — a trace
  17. game — a match
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chip — for betting
  20. race — the arms race
  21. pit — in a race
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. deal — an agreement

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