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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · arm · clip · object · key · fan · pop · race

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. object — a thing
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. key — in music
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pop — soda
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. clip — to cut
  9. object — to protest
  10. race — the arms race
  11. clip — a video
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. clip — for paper
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pop — music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. object — an aim
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fan — a supporter

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