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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bore — to drill
  5. firm — decided
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. race — a contest
  11. firm — steady
  12. club — a group
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. race — humankind
  16. band — a music group
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mark — a trace
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. mark — a grade
  21. firm — a company
  22. club — for golf
  23. mouse — the animal
  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