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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pass — a permit
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. race — a contest
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. tube — a container
  13. ground — the earth
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. race — the arms race
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ground — crushed
  20. mine — for digging
  21. ground — a position
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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