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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fall — the season
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. court — for sport
  9. fall — to drop
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fall — to drop
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. court — of law
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. court — of a king
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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