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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. race — the arms race
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — a face
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cell — in biology
  15. club — a group
  16. race — humankind
  17. cell — a phone
  18. race — a contest
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. club — for golf
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mug — to rob

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