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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stem — to come from
  4. race — humankind
  5. charge — a price
  6. rock — a stone
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. pop — music
  11. rock — music
  12. tube — the underground
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. race — a contest
  15. pop — to visit
  16. tube — a container
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. charge — in control
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pop — soda
  22. race — the arms race
  23. charge — electricity
  24. ball — a round shape

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