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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. spring — the season
  3. race — the arms race
  4. charge — electricity
  5. sharp — clever
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. tube — the underground
  12. mate — to breed
  13. pit — in a race
  14. spring — of water
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — in control
  17. race — humankind
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. charge — a price
  22. spring — a coil
  23. mate — a partner
  24. tube — a container

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