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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. field — a subject
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cue — a signal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. field — for sport
  9. race — the arms race
  10. cue — for pool
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pass — a permit
  18. field — farmland
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cue — a hint
  22. race — humankind
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. race — a contest

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