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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · race · rash · mark · object · firm · chip · kick

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. object — a thing
  6. rash — a series
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. object — an aim
  9. race — a contest
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rash — hasty
  12. race — humankind
  13. chip — for betting
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — there
  16. firm — a company
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mark — a trace
  19. present — the time now
  20. object — to protest
  21. firm — steady
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. race — the arms race
  24. kick — in football

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