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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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. board — to get on
  4. spell — letters
  5. land — a country
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cue — for pool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. spell — a short time
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. cue — a signal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. board — a committee
  18. spell — magic
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pop — soda
  24. mouse — the animal

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