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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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. race — humankind
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. race — a contest
  5. tube — the underground
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. present — there
  10. mug — a face
  11. pound — a weight
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. present — the time now
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. tube — a container
  18. race — the arms race
  19. present — a gift
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mug — a cup

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