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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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. can — a tin
  2. race — humankind
  3. vault — a safe
  4. race — the arms race
  5. rule — government
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — the underground
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — a container
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. deal — to handle
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. rule — a law
  21. race — a contest
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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