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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: roll · jam · calf · deal · mouse · race · track · tube

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. track — to keep track
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. race — the arms race
  8. track — a song
  9. roll — a list
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. track — a path
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. deal — to handle

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