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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. dip — to sink
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. content — happy
  12. tube — the underground
  13. press — newspapers
  14. race — a contest
  15. season — of the year
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. tube — a container
  19. content — the amount
  20. pit — in a race
  21. race — the arms race
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. press — to push
  24. pit — a hole

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