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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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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 · charge · object · mouse · bear · toast · drill · pop

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bear — the animal
  6. race — a contest
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. toast — bread
  9. race — humankind
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — a price
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — army training
  14. object — an aim
  15. pop — music
  16. object — to protest
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pop — soda
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. charge — in control
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. object — a thing

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