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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. race — the arms race
  5. staff — employees
  6. craft — boats
  7. tube — the underground
  8. race — humankind
  9. bound — obliged
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. staff — a stick
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. craft — a skill
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — certain
  20. pit — in a race
  21. race — a contest
  22. deal — to handle
  23. tube — a container
  24. staff — employees

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