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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mark — a trace
  3. tube — a container
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mark — a grade
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. dip — to sink
  9. race — humankind
  10. tube — the underground
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rest — a break
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stock — goods
  15. rest — what's left
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. race — a contest
  21. stock — shares
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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