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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. fork — in a road
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. season — in sport
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cap — a hat
  15. season — of the year
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pass — a permit
  21. race — a contest
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. race — humankind

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