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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chip — to eat
  4. race — the arms race
  5. wax — to grow
  6. race — humankind
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. saw — the tool
  11. race — a contest
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pound — a weight
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mouse — the animal

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