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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. pit — a hole
  3. race — humankind
  4. rash — a series
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. scale — in music
  9. court — for sport
  10. charge — a price
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. court — of a king
  14. race — the arms race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. court — of law
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rash — hasty
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. rash — on the skin

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