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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — the arms race
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. land — to come down
  11. race — a contest
  12. content — the amount
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. land — a country
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. land — ground
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. content — happy
  24. tube — a container

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