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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pop — soda
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stock — shares
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stock — goods
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mate — a partner
  13. object — an aim
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pop — music
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cap — a hat
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pitcher — a jug

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