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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — the arms race
  4. mug — a cup
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bass — the fish
  7. mug — to rob
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. tube — a container
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — low music
  15. craft — boats
  16. race — a contest
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. tube — the underground
  22. craft — a skill
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. track — to keep track

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