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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. race — the arms race
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. race — a contest
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. band — a ring
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. race — humankind
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stock — shares
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chip — to eat
  17. roll — a list
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stock — goods
  20. roll — a cake
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. racket — for tennis

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