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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.

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: stick · rush · fine · pitcher · race · rock · mate · tube

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. race — a contest
  7. tube — a container
  8. rock — music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fine — all right
  19. race — the arms race
  20. mate — a partner
  21. race — humankind
  22. mate — a friend
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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