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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. race — the arms race
  3. content — happy
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mate — a partner
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. current — of water
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. race — a contest
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. current — electric
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bass — low music
  22. content — the amount
  23. race — humankind
  24. current — happening now

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