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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.

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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: ball · fine · race · trunk · rule · charge · tube · stick

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — government
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a great time
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. race — a contest
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rule — a law
  15. tube — a container
  16. fine — high quality
  17. charge — electricity
  18. fine — all right
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. race — humankind
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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