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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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mug — to rob
  5. fork — in a road
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. cap — a hat
  15. spell — letters
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. spell — magic
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. file — a tool
  21. spell — a short time
  22. file — a document
  23. mug — a face
  24. file — a line of people

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