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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. race — a contest
  3. tube — the underground
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mug — a face
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rush — hurry
  13. content — the amount
  14. charge — in control
  15. swing — in golf
  16. race — the arms race
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. charge — a price
  19. race — humankind
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. swing — music
  23. charge — electricity
  24. content — happy

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