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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. object — a thing
  3. band — a music group
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. race — the arms race
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pit — in a race
  8. band — a ring
  9. race — humankind
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. object — an aim
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. swing — in golf
  18. rash — hasty
  19. swing — music
  20. rash — a series
  21. race — a contest
  22. pit — a hole
  23. swing — to play on
  24. object — to protest

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