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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. tear — from crying
  6. capital — a city
  7. craft — boats
  8. capital — money
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — to rip
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup

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