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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: chair · mug · arm · perch · shower · club · mark · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mark — a trace
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. race — a contest
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — a group
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mark — a grade
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. race — humankind
  11. mug — a cup
  12. perch — the fish
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. shower — rain
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. chair — a leader
  17. club — for golf
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. shower — to wash
  24. mug — a face

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