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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. face — to point toward
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bound — tied together
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. scale — in music
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. scale — size or range
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bound — obliged
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bound — certain

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