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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. race — humankind
  4. suit — to fit
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tube — a container
  8. race — a contest
  9. suit — clothes
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. suit — in cards
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bat — the animal
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. fine — all right
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. race — the arms race
  23. degree — from a university
  24. degree — an amount

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