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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. race — the arms race
  6. cue — a signal
  7. kid — to tease
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. season — in sport
  11. kid — child
  12. cue — a hint
  13. tube — a container
  14. mug — a cup
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. race — humankind
  19. mug — a face
  20. season — of the year
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cue — for pool
  24. race — a contest

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