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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: pitcher · game · bulb · racket · race · tube · face · pass

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. face — to confront
  6. face — to point toward
  7. race — a contest
  8. game — a match
  9. face — part of the head
  10. tube — a container
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. tube — the underground
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pitcher — a jug

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