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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cell — in biology
  4. race — a contest
  5. field — for sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. cell — a phone
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cue — a hint
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mug — to rob
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — a subject
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. mug — a face
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. date — the fruit
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. date — on the calendar

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