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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pop — music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pop — soda
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. tube — the underground
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. stand — to bear
  12. race — the arms race
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — humankind
  24. jam — a tight spot

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