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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. race — a contest
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mine — for digging
  12. object — to protest
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. tube — a container
  15. race — the arms race
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tube — the underground
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. object — an aim
  21. stand — to bear
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rest — a break
  24. mine — belonging to me

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