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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mate — a friend
  3. tube — the underground
  4. race — humankind
  5. game — wild animals
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. race — a contest
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. current — happening now
  12. game — a match
  13. content — happy
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tube — a container
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. current — electric
  18. content — the amount
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — of water
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mug — to rob
  24. tube — in a tire

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