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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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. sharp — with an edge
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spring — a coil
  6. sharp — clever
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pop — soda
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spring — of water
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. pop — to visit
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. spring — the season

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