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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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468
Word bank
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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. game — a match
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. race — humankind
  8. bear — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. race — a contest
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. race — the arms race
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tube — a container
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cell — in biology
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. game — wild animals
  24. temple — a place of worship

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