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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 116 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. clip — for paper
  6. band — a music group
  7. clip — a video
  8. clip — to cut
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — humankind
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. race — a contest
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. band — a ring

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