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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. race — a contest
  5. face — to point toward
  6. track — a path
  7. capital — money
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — in a road
  13. can — a tin
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. track — to keep track
  18. race — humankind
  19. track — a song
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. capital — a city
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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