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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: cell · foot · mouse · race · content · pass · hand · club

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. race — a contest
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — for dancing
  7. cell — a phone
  8. club — a group
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. hand — in cards
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pass — a permit
  17. content — happy
  18. cell — in biology
  19. club — for golf
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. hand — help
  22. race — humankind
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. race — the arms race

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