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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · mouse · safe · cell · race · club

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. wake — a trail
  5. club — for dancing
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cell — a phone
  11. race — the arms race
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. club — a group
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. club — for golf

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