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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 120 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: stick · tube · row · race · game · bowl · safe · deal

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. race — the arms race
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. race — humankind
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. race — a contest
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. deal — to handle
  9. tube — a container
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. row — a line
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. row — to paddle
  16. game — wild animals
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. game — a match
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bowl — a dish

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