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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · craft · ruler · race · mate · pitch

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mate — a partner
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — a container
  9. race — a contest
  10. mate — a friend
  11. craft — a skill
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. craft — boats
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pitch — a sports field

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