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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. race — a contest
  4. track — a path
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. kid — to tease
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. track — to keep track
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kid — child
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. track — a song
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. race — humankind
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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