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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · chip · band · safe · bass · tube · race · bark

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. race — humankind
  3. chip — to eat
  4. tube — a container
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bass — the fish
  9. race — the arms race
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. chip — for betting
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a music group
  16. bass — low music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. race — a contest
  19. mug — a face
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bark — to shout
  24. safe — a strongbox

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