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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. race — the arms race
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. tube — a container
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. race — a contest
  13. mate — to breed
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. race — humankind
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mate — a friend
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mate — a partner
  20. plane — a tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bass — low music
  24. wave — of the sea

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