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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 124 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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. land — a country
  4. land — to come down
  5. press — to push
  6. tube — the underground
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — final
  11. press — newspapers
  12. last — finally
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — a container
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. press — a publisher
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. land — ground
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — humankind
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. temple — a place of worship

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