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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: rush · tube · dip · press · bear · chip · fan · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bear — the animal
  4. dip — to sink
  5. tube — a container
  6. press — newspapers
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rush — hurry
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. press — to push
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. race — a contest
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bear — the animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. chip — for betting

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