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

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. tube — a container
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. race — humankind
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. can — to be able to
  9. suit — to fit
  10. tube — the underground
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. race — the arms race
  13. suit — clothes
  14. race — a contest
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. suit — in cards
  18. can — a tin
  19. pit — a hole
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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