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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. kid — child
  3. mark — a trace
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. key — in music
  7. suit — clothes
  8. race — a contest
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. kid — to tease
  13. mark — a grade
  14. suit — in cards
  15. key — for a lock
  16. race — humankind
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — a container
  22. bat — the animal
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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