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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mug — a face
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. band — a ring
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. spring — of water
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pound — a weight
  12. mug — to rob
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. band — a music group
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wound — an injury
  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