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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
468
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: mouse · race · rush · mark · perch · dip · chest · sharp

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. race — humankind
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. chest — of your body
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. race — the arms race
  12. dip — to sink
  13. race — a contest
  14. mark — a grade
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. perch — the fish
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. chest — a box
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. perch — for a bird

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