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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. face — to confront
  4. race — the arms race
  5. hand — help
  6. roll — a cake
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. band — a music group
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bound — obliged
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. bound — certain
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. band — a ring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bound — tied together

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