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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. track — a path
  6. mug — a face
  7. track — a song
  8. root — the cause
  9. mug — a cup
  10. race — humankind
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. root — of a word
  14. rock — music
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pit — in a race
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for dancing
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. club — for golf

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