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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 · pitcher · land · row · bowl · current · mouse · mug

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. race — a contest
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. row — to paddle
  8. current — happening now
  9. race — humankind
  10. current — electric
  11. race — the arms race
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. land — a country
  19. current — of water
  20. land — ground
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. row — a line

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