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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. spell — letters
  3. race — a contest
  4. chip — to eat
  5. spell — a short time
  6. ground — the earth
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stand — to bear
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ground — a position
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. spell — magic
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stand — on your feet

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