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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. race — the arms race
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. chip — to eat
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. stock — shares
  11. race — a contest
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. season — in sport
  17. chip — for betting
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. stock — goods
  21. rush — hurry
  22. season — of the year
  23. race — humankind
  24. plane — a tool

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