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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: fine · racket · fan · mouse · fall · cue · race · bear

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. race — humankind
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. race — a contest
  8. fine — all right
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fine — high quality
  13. cue — for pool
  14. fall — the season
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. race — the arms race
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. racket — a loud noise

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