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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: last · mug · mouse · can · race · toast · ground · cap

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ground — a position
  3. race — humankind
  4. ground — the earth
  5. race — a contest
  6. last — to go on
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. last — final
  9. cap — a lid
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. last — finally
  12. race — the arms race
  13. mug — a cup
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. ground — crushed
  16. toast — bread
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. can — a tin
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mug — a face
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mouse — for a computer

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