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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: race · tube · mouse · lie · calf · capital · suit · game

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. tube — the underground
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. race — the arms race
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. capital — a city
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. capital — money
  11. race — a contest
  12. game — a match
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. game — wild animals
  16. suit — clothes
  17. race — humankind
  18. lie — to recline
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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