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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: bound · date · mouse · season · bowl · race · rash · can

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. race — the arms race
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. date — the fruit
  7. rash — a series
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. can — a tin
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bound — tied together
  12. season — of the year
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bound — obliged
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — certain
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. season — in sport
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. race — humankind
  24. race — a contest

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