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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: mouse · saw · race · mark · game · tube · capital · rush

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. capital — money
  3. game — wild animals
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. race — humankind
  6. tube — the underground
  7. game — a match
  8. race — the arms race
  9. tube — a container
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. saw — the tool
  14. race — a contest
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mark — a trace
  21. capital — a city
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mouse — for a computer

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