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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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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: drill · can · hand · tear · rush · race · mouse · firm

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. tear — to rip
  6. firm — a company
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. drill — a practice
  10. race — humankind
  11. can — to be able to
  12. race — a contest
  13. hand — in cards
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rush — hurry
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. drill — army training
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hand — help
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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