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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pit — a hole
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pop — to visit
  10. snap — to click
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. object — a thing
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. key — for a lock

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