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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chest — of your body
  3. can — a tin
  4. current — of water
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. current — electric
  7. race — humankind
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chest — a box
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — the arms race
  13. tube — a container
  14. suit — to fit
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. tube — the underground
  18. land — ground
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mine — for digging
  22. current — happening now
  23. chest — of your body
  24. can — to be able to

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