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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rush — hurry
  4. foot — a measure
  5. race — humankind
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bulb — for light
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pit — in a race
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. drill — army training
  17. race — a contest
  18. branch — a division
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mug — a face
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mug — to rob
  24. rush — to hurry

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