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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 124 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. tube — the underground
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — a contest
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. tube — a container
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hand — help
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. scale — in music
  19. hand — in cards
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. scale — size or range

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