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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 116 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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. cue — for pool
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mug — a cup
  6. cue — a hint
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mug — a face
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. tube — a container
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. band — a music group
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. race — a contest
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. cue — a signal
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. mug — to rob

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