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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 120 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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. race — the arms race
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. race — humankind
  6. land — a country
  7. tube — the underground
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. tube — a container
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. tear — from crying
  13. land — to come down
  14. race — a contest
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. board — to get on
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tear — to rip
  20. land — ground
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — a measure
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mark — a trace

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