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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. scale — in music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. race — a contest
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rush — hurry
  11. scale — size or range
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. race — the arms race
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. suit — clothes
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. race — humankind
  24. mouse — for a computer

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