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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. race — humankind
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. race — a contest
  6. cap — of ice
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. content — the amount
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. content — happy
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. cap — a hat
  22. tube — a container
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pitcher — a jug

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