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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 120 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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. tube — the underground
  3. race — humankind
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. race — a contest
  12. suit — to fit
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bulb — for light
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — a container
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rock — a stone

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