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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: mouse · tube · race · rest · bear · suit · vault · roll

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. race — humankind
  3. suit — to fit
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. race — a contest
  6. suit — clothes
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rest — a break
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. tube — a container
  12. vault — a safe
  13. race — the arms race
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — in cards
  16. roll — a list
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bear — the animal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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