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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. race — a contest
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. club — a group
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ball — a dance
  11. club — for dancing
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pop — to visit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. tube — a container
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lie — to recline
  23. club — for golf
  24. pop — music

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