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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: object · mug · roll · mouse · spell · net · rush · race

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. net — in sport
  3. mug — a face
  4. object — to protest
  5. race — humankind
  6. race — a contest
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mug — a cup
  9. spell — letters
  10. roll — a list
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. spell — magic
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. rush — hurry
  20. roll — a cake
  21. spell — a short time
  22. race — the arms race
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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