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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
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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: bowl · stand · tube · pitcher · jam · race · saw · mark

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. race — the arms race
  6. tube — the underground
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. race — humankind
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. race — a contest
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. saw — the tool
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mark — a grade
  21. tube — a container
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. jam — in traffic

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