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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. race — the arms race
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. face — to confront
  5. rush — hurry
  6. race — a contest
  7. tube — a container
  8. mug — a face
  9. mark — a trace
  10. dip — to sink
  11. tube — the underground
  12. face — part of the head
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mug — to rob
  20. race — humankind
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ground — crushed

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