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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. clip — to cut
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. row — to paddle
  12. branch — a division
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. race — a contest
  15. mate — to breed
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — a video
  18. race — humankind
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mate — a friend
  21. row — a line
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. branch — of a tree

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