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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. tube — the underground
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. can — a tin
  6. face — to confront
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ball — a dance
  11. face — part of the head
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — a short time
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. spell — letters
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. can — to be able to
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — the arms race
  22. can — a tin
  23. tube — a container
  24. pass — a permit

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