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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. race — the arms race
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. race — a contest
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. can — a tin
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. band — a ring
  24. race — humankind

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