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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. tube — a container
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — the season
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bass — low music
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — humankind

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