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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. track — a song
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mate — to breed
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pop — music
  13. track — to keep track
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pop — to visit
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. track — a path
  23. pop — soda
  24. race — a contest

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