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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: race · saw · charge · roll · capital · mouse · cue · can

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. cue — a hint
  4. can — a tin
  5. capital — a city
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. race — a contest
  9. roll — a cake
  10. charge — a price
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cue — for pool
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. charge — in control
  15. roll — a list
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. race — humankind
  22. charge — electricity
  23. capital — money
  24. saw — the tool

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