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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 120 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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. tube — a container
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — child
  6. race — a contest
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. saw — the tool
  9. firm — steady
  10. cue — for pool
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. tube — the underground
  13. cue — a hint
  14. saw — the tool
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. race — humankind
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. cue — a signal

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