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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. roll — a list
  3. mug — to rob
  4. tube — the underground
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. key — for a lock
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. file — a line of people
  10. mug — a face
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. file — a document
  14. race — a contest
  15. key — the most important part
  16. tube — a container
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. file — a tool
  20. mug — a cup
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. roll — a cake
  23. kick — in football
  24. ball — a dance

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