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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. object — a thing
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. squash — to crush
  7. object — an aim
  8. sharp — clever
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. race — a contest
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. tube — a container
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fall — the season
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. object — to protest
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fall — to drop

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