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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pass — a permit
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — to be able to
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chip — to eat
  8. can — a tin
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. tube — the underground
  16. chest — of your body
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. can — a tin
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. deal — an agreement

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