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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fine — high quality
  12. tube — a container
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. race — humankind
  20. hand — in cards
  21. fine — all right
  22. cue — a hint
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fine — a penalty

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