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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pass — a permit
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. tube — a container
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pop — music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. hand — in cards
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pop — soda
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. hand — help
  24. racket — for tennis

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