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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 was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. game — a match
  3. ball — a dance
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. chest — a box
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ball — a great time
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. tube — a container
  20. fine — high quality
  21. chest — of your body
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. game — wild animals

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