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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. race — a contest
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. race — humankind
  7. pit — a hole
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bound — certain
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bound — tied together
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bound — obliged
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. snap — to click
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. toast — bread
  24. bowl — a dish

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