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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fall — the season
  5. mug — a cup
  6. fine — all right
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. race — humankind
  9. fall — to drop
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. mug — a face
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fall — to drop
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. race — a contest
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. mug — to rob
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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