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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pass — a permit
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. tube — a container
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. race — a contest
  9. degree — temperature
  10. chip — to eat
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mark — a trace
  15. degree — from a university
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. tube — the underground
  18. degree — an amount
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. chip — for betting
  21. race — the arms race
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pass — to succeed

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