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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: mouse · chip · wax · bear · key · race · shower · suit

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bear — the animal
  3. race — a contest
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. chip — to eat
  6. suit — clothes
  7. race — humankind
  8. suit — in cards
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. key — in music
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. key — the most important part
  21. shower — rain
  22. suit — to fit
  23. shower — to wash
  24. chip — for betting

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