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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. suit — to fit
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — rain
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rock — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — the arms race
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. shower — to wash
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. tube — a container

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