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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: mouse · deal · arm · current · mug · content · ball · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. mug — a cup
  3. content — happy
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ball — a dance
  8. current — of water
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ball — a great time
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mug — a face
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. race — the arms race
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. race — a contest
  20. content — the amount
  21. current — happening now
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — electric

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