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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — a container
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lie — to recline
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. can — a tin
  14. race — humankind
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. hand — in cards
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. can — a tin
  20. tube — the underground
  21. race — a contest
  22. can — to be able to
  23. hand — help
  24. pit — in a race

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