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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. race — a contest
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bat — the animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. club — for golf
  10. cue — a signal
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. spring — a coil
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. spring — of water
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. spring — the season
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mark — a trace
  24. race — humankind

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