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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. race — humankind
  3. content — the amount
  4. mate — to breed
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. object — an aim
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. object — a thing
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mate — a partner
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. content — happy
  20. object — to protest
  21. mate — a friend
  22. race — the arms race
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. race — a contest

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