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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. race — a contest
  5. present — a gift
  6. race — the arms race
  7. object — an aim
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pit — in a race
  10. object — a thing
  11. board — a committee
  12. key — in music
  13. object — to protest
  14. foot — a measure
  15. board — to get on
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. race — humankind
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pit — a hole
  21. present — the time now
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. present — there

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