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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. face — to point toward
  6. race — humankind
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. last — final
  11. face — to confront
  12. fine — high quality
  13. last — finally
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. tube — the underground
  16. face — part of the head
  17. charge — in control
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. fine — all right
  20. tube — a container
  21. race — a contest
  22. last — to go on
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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