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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bound — tied together
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mate — a partner
  12. track — a path
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. pop — soda
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — certain
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. pop — music
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bat — the animal
  22. face — to confront
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pop — to visit

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