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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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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: tube · root · chest · race · rest · fine · kid · firm

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. tube — a container
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. root — of a plant
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. race — humankind
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fine — all right
  13. chest — a box
  14. firm — a company
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fine — high quality
  17. kid — to tease
  18. chest — of your body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. race — a contest
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — steady
  23. rest — a break
  24. chest — of your body

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