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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rule — government
  3. content — the amount
  4. firm — a company
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. race — a contest
  7. content — happy
  8. tube — the underground
  9. race — humankind
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mug — to rob
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mug — a face
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tube — a container
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. firm — steady
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. firm — decided

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