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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: kick · race · firm · stick · tube · fan · mouse · last

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. firm — a company
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. kick — in football
  5. last — finally
  6. last — to go on
  7. tube — a container
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. race — humankind
  11. last — final
  12. firm — decided
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. race — the arms race
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. race — a contest
  22. firm — steady
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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