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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: wake · racket · pitcher · race · season · lie · mug · mouse

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mug — to rob
  10. race — humankind
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mug — a face
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. season — in sport
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wake — a trail
  20. season — of the year
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. race — a contest
  24. pitcher — a jug

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