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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: lie · present · arm · net · mouse · mine · race · content

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — the arms race
  3. present — a gift
  4. net — for catching
  5. mine — for digging
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. present — there
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — the amount
  12. race — a contest
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — after costs
  17. present — the time now
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. net — in sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. content — happy
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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