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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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Word bank
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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: roll · race · season · sharp · can · lean · deal · snap

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. can — a tin
  3. season — in sport
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. race — the arms race
  6. can — to be able to
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. roll — a list
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. season — of the year
  15. snap — to click
  16. lean — to bend
  17. can — a tin
  18. race — a contest
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. deal — to handle
  21. lean — thin
  22. roll — a cake
  23. sharp — clever
  24. deal — a big deal

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