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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: sharp · saw · mouse · season · roll · ball · race · snap

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. saw — the tool
  3. race — the arms race
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. roll — a list
  12. sharp — clever
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. race — humankind
  15. saw — the tool
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. race — a contest
  19. roll — a cake
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. snap — to click
  22. season — of the year
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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