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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. ball — a great time
  3. race — humankind
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. race — the arms race
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ball — a dance
  9. plane — a tool
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tube — a container
  12. tear — from crying
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fine — all right
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fine — high quality
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. tear — from crying

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