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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. race — a contest
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. race — humankind
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fine — all right
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to point toward
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. tube — the underground
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. face — to confront
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fine — high quality
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. race — the arms race
  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