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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: rock · sharp · arm · pop · can · mug · race · leaves

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mug — to rob
  4. can — a tin
  5. race — humankind
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rock — a stone
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. race — the arms race
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. can — a tin
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pop — to visit
  19. mug — a face
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — music
  23. rock — music
  24. leaves — to go away

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