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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. firm — a company
  4. ball — a great time
  5. race — a contest
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tube — a container
  9. bulb — for light
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. firm — decided
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wound — an injury
  24. firm — steady

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