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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chest — a box
  3. bear — the animal
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. club — for golf
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — to confront
  13. club — a group
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. face — part of the head
  22. prune — to trim
  23. club — for dancing
  24. chest — of your body

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