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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: pass · deal · bore · track · racket · mouse · kick · race

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. race — the arms race
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. race — a contest
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. deal — to handle
  11. track — to keep track
  12. race — humankind
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bore — to drill
  17. kick — in football
  18. track — a path
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pass — a permit
  21. track — a song
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pass — to succeed

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