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

Word bank: fine · fork · board · tube · deal · bear · ruler · race

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. fine — all right
  2. tube — the underground
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. race — a contest
  5. bear — the animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — a container
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fine — high quality
  12. race — the arms race
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fork — in a road
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. board — to get on
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. board — a flat piece
  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