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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pass — a permit
  5. lean — thin
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tube — a container
  12. race — a contest
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. race — humankind
  21. lie — to recline
  22. race — the arms race
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. tube — the underground

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