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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 116 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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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. chair — a leader
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. race — humankind
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. swing — music
  15. race — a contest
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pit — a hole
  24. swing — to play on

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