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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bear — the animal
  5. degree — an amount
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — to sink
  16. tube — a container
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. stem — to come from
  20. degree — temperature
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. suit — to fit
  23. race — humankind
  24. tube — the underground

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