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

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. chest — a box
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. net — in sport
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. net — for catching
  14. chest — of your body
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. net — after costs
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. snap — to click
  24. lie — an untruth

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