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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. scale — size or range
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. scale — in music
  11. face — part of the head
  12. content — happy
  13. race — humankind
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. content — the amount
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. race — a contest
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. face — to confront
  24. mouse — the animal

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